Exposure
by lilgizzy1983
Summary: Kara is put into a vulnerable position when she instinctively steps in to help during an attack. She is at risk to be outed as Supergirl. She has bigger problems, though, when during the attack, Kara is exposed to Kryptonite and an unknown substance. What is that substance? Who will be let in on Kara's secret? And who is behind all of it?
1. Chapter 1

34 days. 34 days since the Daxamite attack on National City. The attack which ended in a genocide of an entire race. One that ended with the first real partner Kara had ever had being forced to flee Earth for good. Her first real connection, and love for someone other than her friends and family. They were making a life together.

Not anymore.

She was at Noonan's, just like every morning. Except now, she stopped there only for her own coffee, instead of Ms. Grant's. It seems like a lifetime ago, not merely 2 years. Her life was weird...but a lot more simple. Nobody knew about her powers. She slaved over Ms. Grant's barking orders all day, and hung out with her sister at night. Now, everything is in such disarray. So different. But yet...the same. The same deep pit in her soul, forced all the way down, where no one could see. The loss, the sacrifice, the pain. The wondering 'Why her?'. She was born to be a scientist, not a hero. She was thrust into this life at 13 years old. Since then, all she ever thought about was how she was a failure before she even got a chance to prove herself, and to honor her mother and father's last request of her. To protect Kal. He was grown when she got here. She had no purpose any longer. She had failed in her mission, in her sacred duty. Her life's meaning dashed from before her, in what she perceived as a moment. Kal had 35 years to process this. She had been her for some time now, but it would never compare to the bond he'd been able to form with humanity. Kara was a true Kryptonian. The only other ones left had attack her world, and were killed.

The only shining light she had was her sister, and her friends. Her purpose now was to protect them, and to protect their home. That was what Kal-El had decided. Kara understood why. The humans capacity for love, and self-sacrifice was greater than anything she'd known on Krypton. Their passion, emotion, and loyalty were to be unmatched. On Krypton, loyalty was how you were bred. One was literally born with a genetic code ensuring loyalty to ones House. Kal had been born of love. A live birth in the House of El. The first in thousands of years. But Kara, it was in her genetic makeup. Kal was her blood kin. She was coded to protect and provide for him at all cost. He didn't need her though. Not any longer.

Kara transferred all of that energy, all of that loyalty over to her family. To Alex. In return, Alex showed her the unfathomable love, and connection humans had with their families. Kara loved her blood kin in Krypton, of course she did. This was different. On Krypton, it was all she'd ever known. She was Kara Zor-El, of the prestigious House of El. She was a young girl, and under constant supervision from her parents and Aunt Astra. Largely limited to schooling, and her art, Kara had few friends outside of her House. She didn't know what it was to love from her whole heart. Love from a place that wasn't out of breeding and a sheltered existence. Not out of a place of necessity or duty, but out of pure soul.

Alex was her responsibility now. Kal didn't need protection, he was invincible like her. But Alex, Kara's friends...they were human. Vulnerable. All of the humans. She had great abilities that could be used to help them. To protect them. She loved them, all of them.

So, when a large van came crashing through the front door of the packed Noonan's during morning rush hour, it was her instinct to protect her fellow citizens and friends. The driver had not hit the brakes or attempted to stop, or Kara would have heard the brakes and commotion. It was purposeful, of the she was sure. She shielded those around her that she could, but at least 9 were hit and injured.

Kara didn't have time to think about the ramifications of her being in her street clothes. The driver, a Caucasian man who seemed to be around her age jumped out, screaming. She super-sped over to him with the intention of subduing him. As she and him fell to the ground, she saw the fear in his eyes.

"It's you..." he said soft and trembling when he felt the strength and weight of her pinning him to the ground. "They were right...get OUT! GO! IT'S A TR..." Then everything went bright, and the explosion rocked the entire block.

The next she remembers, an instant later, her super ears were ringing like crazy. Kara was on the ground somewhere behind what used to be the Noonan's front counter. There was an injured barista to her right, looking dazed, and a couple to her right, one girl helping her girlfriend get lift part of the rubble off of her leg. Kara went to stand to help, but she was moving slower than her normal self. She felt light-headed, and noticed that there was pain. Her adrenaline kicked in when she looked down and saw too many small shards of Kryptonite to count scattered in her skin. Embedded in her entire front and right sides. Having not yet gotten changed into her Supergirl outfit for the day, she was in casual clothes. Her hours as Journalist were vastly different than her hours as Assistant.

Kara saw the humans in the shop get up fairly quickly. It looked like the explosion wasn't really that damaging, most of them seemed to be having ear issues, and bruises from being thrown to the ground by the shock wave. Other than that, the injuries were mostly from the impact of the van. She finally got her wits enough to remember the bomber's words. 'It's you..' 'Get out..' she thinks he heard something about a trap, but the bomb went off.

The bomber! She slowly got up the best she could. It was excruciating, like hundreds of pieces of glass stabbing her whole body. Using the counter to get to her feet, Kara checked over the scene. The van was fine, but spattered with blood from the bomber. There were tiny, sharp pieces of Kryptonite at the side of the van, and partially in the ceiling above the explosion. There were no burns on any of the injured, so the explosion wasn't incendiary. Just a soft green glow, and a fine reddish pink powder settling over the entire area. She looked down at her own hands and arms, coated with the dust.

As her adrenaline start to wear off, so did her hearing loss. The sharp buzz in her ears was replaced by the shrill sound of alarms and sirens. She felt ill, and dizzy. The Kryptonite for sure. Her racing heart had been staving off some of the effects, but now they were coming on quickly. Kara reached out for the counter to steady herself, but was met with a patron grabbing her hand and arm to help her stand. When she was finally able to focus enough to pick out the shrill alarms from the voices, Kara was startled at what a few of the people were saying.

"Supergirl, sit down..." "Here, take it easy..." "Supergirl, don't try move, we'll help..."

Supergirl? She wasn't in her Supergirl gear? How did they know?!

Kara started to go from dazed and weak, to a panic. How do they know her identity.

A man older than her, maybe in his 40s, came into her vision. It was him holding her arm, keeping her from collapsing all together.

"Can you hear me? I need you to focus...Supergirl! Look at me!" He said in a hushed, but stern tone.

Kara nodded to acknowledge she understood. Bad decision. Her vision swam again with dizziness from the Kryptonite. He had someone else help her to the floor, as he framed her face with his hands, trying to avoid the embedded shards.

"Hey, listen to me, we saw you take down the guy who did this, and your glasses have been blown off. Your hair is a mess. We all saw, you don't have to worry about us. You saved us. We all thank you. But you have to get out of here! The ambulances are almost here, and they'll figure it out. It's one thing for a few of us to have seen, but none of us, especially you, don't want this information going public. Right!?"

She comprehended most of what he'd said. Kara nodded at him. The man, and a college age girl, who had helping keep Kara upright, half walked and half carried her out through the back. The employees helped quickly guide the way to their back exit, away from the scene. One of the baristas led them to her car, and opened the back door. The man deposited her in the back, and the girl got in with Kara. He closed the door, stating he'd stay on scene and make sure everybody was on the same page about protecting Supergirl's identity. Kara just gave him what could pass for a weak smile as a thank you, before wincing again from the increasing pain and nausea.

"Where to?!" the Barista driver asked the college girl.

"I have no idea? My dorm is way too crowded, I don't want to invade her privacy more by asking where she lives..." She stated, frazzled.

The young woman took a deep breath to settle her nerves. "Just start driving, we'll figure it out on the way. Hey Supergirl, can you hear me? My name is Liz. Can you tell us where you want us to take you?" she shushed Kara try to make her as comfortable as possible. It didn't really help with all of the pain and queeziness.

"It's ok, take your time, and focus. Do you have a safe place we can take you?" Liz asked again.

For Kara, everything was happening so fast. It felt like her brain was moving in slow motion, and everything else was so muddled. Safe places...she had to think...She couldn't call the DEO, she was already exposed, she didn't need Alex and the team getting exposed as well. She couldn't go to L Corp. She doesn't think Lena would say anything, but she hasn't known her for long. On top of that, she didn't know anyone in the building, and couldn't risk it. She did have one option, it was a risk, but she didn't have another choice.

"Catco..." Kara slurred out, breathlessly. She was trying to take slow, deep breaths to keep calm. Kara had resigned herself to her position. She didn't have a choice. She didn't think Ms. Grant would say anything. Not with their history. On top of that, she'd have the resources to get any video of the incident, and get the contact information of all of the people that may expose Kara's identity.

"Catco? Like THE Catco building?" Liz asked, flabbergasted.

Kara groaned as another pulsing wave of pain hit her. She was definitely starting to become more aware of her surroundings and of her body.

"Catco! Ahh...I need a phone." Kara gritted there her teeth.

The college girl looked at the barista, and shook her head negative. Her phone must have been lost in the blast. The barista frantically searched her smock and jeans.

"Yesss, here!" The driver said excitedly as she tossed her phone back to Liz.

"OK Supergirl, just read me off the number, I'll dial for you."

Kat listed off Cat Grant's direct line, and Liz dialed quickly, putting it on speaker.

"Who is this, and why do you have my direct line? I also have an automatic screening system for unknown callers to this line, and rest assured, if you have wasted my time I swear to..." Cat's rant was interrupted by Kara shutting her up...for the first time ever. She used as much of her energy as she could to sound commanding.

"Ms. Grant! Listen for once! I need your help!" Kara spoke up. It was followed by an inward grunt of pain.

"Keira, what is going on, where are you calling from. I think your taking my advice a little too seriously...when I said stand up for yourself, I meant..."

"Ms. Grant! Oh my God, is this what you're like every day? This is Liz, I'm a random college student at NCU, and I have Supergirl bleeding and in terrible condition right now! Can you shut up and tell us how to get her to you...Please?" Liz realized she'd just mouthed of to the creator of an empire, but kind of didn't care at the moment.

"Supergirl!? What do you mean? What happened?"

"There was an attack at Noonan's. She helped all of us, but she's out of uniform! She's exposed Ms. Grant! She asked us to call you, can you please help us?! Where do we go?!"

"Head to Catco, pull into the parking garage off of 13th. Second space on the left. It says Private Parking. Park there. Stay put." Cat hung up the phone on Liz.

"She hung up on me?" Liz said stunned.

"yeah..." Kara whispered, closing her eyes to rest a minute. Closing her eyes helped a little with the dizziness, but not with the pain. She let out a whimper, she was feeling worse the longer she had the Kryptonite was being pumped into her system. There was also a different tingly feeling at the Kryptonite open wounds. She couldn't place it, but it felt different from any Kryptonite exposure she'd previously experienced. She didn't have the wherewithal to worry about it right now.

As the barista parked in the garage as directed, a huge security guard walked up to the back door and opened it.

"Supergirl, you have to open your eyes now. We need to get you up and out to a safe place. Come on..." Liz encouraged.

Kara just winced in pain as Liz tried to get her up. Liz felt bad, but they needed to move her. The security guard shooed her out of the way, picking up Kara swiftly, but surprisingly gently.

"Ms. Danvers?Wow, Ok ladies, follow me." He ordered succinctly. Both Liz and the barista accompanied the guard to Ms. Grant's private elevator. As the doors closed, none of them could help thinking how their lives had all been turned upside down in the matter of minutes,,,


	2. Chapter 2

*I DO NOT OWN SUPERGIRL OR ANY OF THE ESTABLISHED CHARACTERS*

The enormous Security Guard carrying Kara had seen her on the daily. She was Ms. Grant's protege for years, and he was on her personal security team for years. He had even been assigned to Kara as security a couple of times at large events. To find out she was THE Supergirl on the same day that he saw her in this condition was mind-blowing. Right now, he was just running on shock and adrenaline. As he was carrying her on the elevator, all he could focus on was trying not to embed the glowing green shards any further into the girl. It would just make it that much harder to take them out later. Not to mention, she'd cry out every time he shifted them, or applied more pressure to those areas.

The doors finally opened, after what seemed like an eternity to Kara and the rest of their party. It was a floor Kara didn't even know existed! It was furnished, and bright, classy. It looked like a simple, but lavish penthouse suite, instead of the top floor of an office skyscraper. Cat had always said the top 3 floors were just for show, and that they were closed off and unsafe to roam around.

What a liar.

"Kara! Over here!" They heard and saw Cat Grant immediately, as she flew over to them with worry. "Oh my God, how did this happen..." She said almost as a rhetorical question.

"There was an attack, and an explosion! We were all at Noonan's, and this guy drove a van right through the front entrance. We all dove for cover, but as soon as the guy came out yelling and shouting, Supergirl was on top of him in 1 second! She held him down for a moment, but then he just...blew..." Liz explained, overly fast. She was all hopped up with the fast pace of everything.

"That would explain why of of you look like a bloody mess." Cat said, as she rushed them over to her private massage table. She had it set up right near the elevator door so they could get her laying down quickly.

"Watch those shards, they look like Kryptonite. That's why they were able to hurt her, put her down VERY carefully!" Cat instructed. Like she had to tell her best Security Guard, John, to be careful with the beloved alien. As he set Kara down, her eyes closed shut tight with pain, and she gave out one last scream before she curled in on the side that had the least wounds. She opened her eyes and tried to take in her surroundings, but her own sweat kept getting in her eyes. Cat noticed her shaking and sweaty and yelled for one of the younger girls to grab a wet towel for Kara's forehead.

She knelt down on the floor to meet Kara's eyes, as John looked over her wounds more thoroughly.

"Oh Kara. How did you get yourself into this mess...?" Cat cooed, while careful stroking the woman's hair. Kara looked up at her, her eyes watery and pleading.

"Ms. Grant...thank...thanks. Ughhh" She blinked her eyes and brought a shaky hand up to her forehead to wipe her face, but stopped when she felt the pain of more Kryptonite.

"Don't move Kara, shh shh...don't touch anything. You'll hurt yourself more. Just try to relax, Alex is on her way."

"Alex..." Kara squeaked out. Liz came back running with a wet, cool towel. Cat carefully patted down Kara's face, being certain not to hurt her.

"What's all of this reddish dust you're all dusted with? Don't tell me it's like...pink mist from the bomber or something..." Cat asked.

"I don't know, it seemed to come from whatever explosive device he had. Like the green stuff. It just settled everywhere."Liz informed. The barista agreed.

Kara spoke up, "It was a trap." She said, as she took in a harsh breath, and groaned.

"What was? The bomber?" Cat asked.

"yeah...he told me...or...tried to..." Kara whispered out.

"What about the dust, do you recognize it?" Cat tried to dig further.

"..don..don't know. It feels weird..." Kara noticed.

"Weird how? Does it hurt?"

"I don't know. It just...like...tingles...or something." Kara forced out. She really couldn't explain it, especially to try and articulate it in English while in this much pain. She couldn't focus. She felt sick, she was in pain. That's all she could like about. Her head was spinning.

Cat noticed how pale she looked. She knew she was sick, but she didn't want Kara to hurt herself more.

"OK, no more talking, I need you to just breathe right now. Nice and slow, and try to calm down. I know you feel sick right now, but I need you to stay in control. The more you tense up or move the worse it will be..." Cat was trying to sooth her the best she could, but she only knew Kara and Supergirl separately. Sure, she'd figured out by now that they were the same person, but it was going to take a little bit of time for her to be able to reconcile their personalities into one. She chose to try and soothe the Kara part for now, that's the side she knew best.

"Should we try and take the pieces out?" The barista asked.

"No!" Cat snapped, and startled Kara. "Sorry, no, we shouldn't touch them. I have a doctor coming, and she said don't touch anything, it could make her worse. Although, of course, when I talked to her I didn't know the full spectrum of what had happened."

Cat took a calming breath. "Girls, thank you very much for getting her out of that situation. You saved her not only from more pain, but also from being exposed to the world. You helped Supergirl when she was at her most vulnerable. It's people like you that she's drawn to protect. Please, take a seat, I didn't even ask if you were ok. You said there was a van who crashed through the front, and an explosion. Did either of you get injured? Let me see...?" Cat suddenly turned 'Mom' on them.

"Ms. Grant, we're ok. Just a couple bumps and bruises. Supergirl saved everyone from the explosion. The EMTs are proba..." Liz was cut off by the elevator ding, and then several people yelling.

"KARA! WHAT HAPPENED?! Is she OK!? Oh my God!" Alex didn't know what to say first when she ran in and saw her little sister littered with hundreds of painful wounds, and looking white as a ghost. J'onn followed close behind, along with Dr. Hamilton, and 3 DEO Agents carrying medical supplies in big cases.

"Anybody who's NOT a doctor, move!" J'onn commanded forcefully. Cat, Liz, the barista, and the security personnel backed away to the dining area, and all but Cat sank tiredly into chairs. Cat just watched like a hawk, and paced...very quickly.

"What happened?!"Alex asked, a little more calmly as she sat by her sister. Both were crying, Kara out of pain, and relief that her sister was there. Alex out of devastation at the sight before her.

"Van attack and then suicide bomber, targeting Supergirl. Someone must have known who she was, or followed her. They knew she'd be there at that time. These two girls got her out before her identity could be further exposed. She probably owes them her life." Cat pointed out.

"There was a man, he got to her first... He told her she was exposed, and helped us get her to the car. He said he was going to stay and get everybody's story straight. I think everybody is going to keep quiet, but you might want to contact them or something...if you can..." Liz trailed off.

Keeping her head straight on Kara only, Alex just kept on with the pertinent questions.

"What's all this red dust, is it from the store? The explosion?" She asked as she wiped it curiously from her sister's hands. Kara could only try to follow along. Her vertigo, and nausea, on top of the pain was growing too much for her to comprehend much.

"It settles after the explosion. But nothing in the shop would have exploded like that. The explosion wasn't even fire or anything, it was just like...force? Does that make sense? Like the only point of it was to litter Supergirl with those pieces of whatever, and coat everything in this weird stuff." The barista explained.

"alex..." Kara struggled to get Alex's attention over all the fuss of the Dr. and Agents.

"Yeah sis...I'm here. What's up?" Alex positioned closer to Kara's face so she could hear.

"was a trap...man said...trap...ahh..." Kara winced as they started an IV for fluids and painkillers.

"We have to keep her awake. We don't know what she may have been exposed to. What we all may have been exposed to." J'onn stated.

"Are you kidding!? She's in too much pain. It'll hurt her even more if she's awake. She's sick!" Alex went to bat to get her sister comfortable.

"Alex! Calm down. Think. If we don't know what it is, then we don't know what it does. It could be nothing, it could be a toxin, or a pathogen. We don't know, and we won't know if it's doing damage if we put her out. We need her here, we need her aware of her body. We need her to tell us if she has any symptoms." J'onn reasoned. Alex fumed, but she realized she had to direct her anger at whoever did this, and focus all of her energy towards Kara right now.

"Alex, she was saying something when I asked her about the powder earlier. She was already a little out of it, but she was trying to explain something. She was saying that it almost felt 'tingly', and it felt 'weird'. Her words...obviously." Cat explained.

Alex thought on it for a minute. Then, a light bulb went off. "Was she saying like 'I don't know, i can't explain...blah blah blah?" She said, not so eloquently.

"Yes, perfect. Like she could figure out the words to describe what was happening." Cat assured.

"Kara, 'Serron ke ti coman?'" Alex held her hand up with the red and rubbed her fingers so Kara could see. Kara tried to focus, she grunted a couple of times trying to see straight and gather her thoughts. Thank Rao Alex was speaking Kyptonese. It was much easier for her in stressful situations, or when she wasn't feeling well.

"'Kalorr de gituloh...ke ti coman?'" Alex whispered. "Come on, tell me what's going on 'thoala'."

"Tana...laet...laetano seelan. uhh...ahh..." Kara started to whimper as Dr. Hamilton began extracting the Kryptonite as carefully as she could. Piece by excruciating piece.

"It's ok...shh shh...your doing great. Finish your thought whenever you're ready..." Alex eased.

Kara took a deep breath between Dr. Hamilton's movements. "Laetano seelan...kala hana tupulo. AH...Tupulaho!" Kara got through it. Her Krypontese rolled off her tongue so differently than her daily crude, primitive English. It was easier for her to convey complicated thoughts. She only spoke it with Alex. Kal-El sucked at it. He didn't have time to have her teach it to him properly. Alex on the other hand was excited to learn, and made sure she got every inflection right. Now she only had a mildly obvious Human accent. It wasn't her fault, humans aren't built to speak her native tongue.

Alex thought for a few seconds as she translated in her mind. Then her eyes went wide.

"We have to flush it out!" Alex said suddenly.

"What do you mean? Why!?" Dr. Hamilton was startled.

"She said...ughhh...the closest translation is like...soul devourer? She said she feels it pumping inside her. It's feeding off of her energy, both neurological and physical. We need to flush it out of her system before we remove everything. If we take out the Kryptonite, the wounds will heal, and it will drive her mad, then essentially suck her body dry. We need to get it off, NOW! And we need to put her on dialysis to flush out the toxin. Cat! Do you have a shower in this...place?" Alex asked getting noticeably more frightened after speaking to Kara.

Cat immediately pointed, "Right through there! I'll help, come with me." She ordered. Normally Alex would want to protect her sister's dignity, but right now, ridding her of this toxic exposure was crucial.

Who knows how much time she'd have, or what damage has already been done?


	3. Chapter 3

**I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS BLAH BLAH BLAH YOU KNOW THE DRILL**

'Where am I? I don't know this place? I'm in so much pain. Why do I hurt so much? The explosion...the powder...' Kara started to panic midway to the shower. Standing her up had pumped up her blood-pressure, and amped up the effects of the pathogen. Or at least amped up her attention to the effects. Her thoughts were muddled, and cloudy. One minute she'd think she was at home, the next on Krypton, and the next at the Fortress. The pathogen was making it's way through her brain little by little. She'd flash of between memories, or colors. Not to mention everything was still spinning.

"Alex..." Kara breathed out. She was scared. She was really scared this time. Whoever illustrated this assault knew what they were doing. They had knowledge of the stars, of Krypton's history, and the history of other planets. In particular, details of the ugly feud between Daxam and Krypton.

"Kara, I'm right here, ok? Sorry we have to move you, but it will hopefully save your life. You have to be strong for us." Alex encouraged.

Dr. Hamilton had a chance to take out some of the shards in Kara's face, and once she found out she had to be moved, the lower left leg. This way she could be helped to stand, as opposed to risking digging the fragments in further by carrying her. Alex and Cat had been helping her quickly along. More like half dragging her along. Kara's head kept lulling forward, so she decided just to leave it there. She didn't have any control over the spinning, so she had to trust the women helping her along. Dr. Hamilton already had the shower running with cool water. As they entered the bathroom and Kara saw the water she startled.

"No! No! Please don't! I'll fall! Dunsae lauto svesana!" Kara screamed as her eyes were wild with fear. The women looked at each other as they were trying to keep Kara still. As she struggled, she opened up deeper wounds and started bleeding more than before.

"Kara KARA! NO! Stop! Stop! It's ok...shhh It's just the shower, ceevetu lau topido. Lau topido. Neeit svesana...neeit svesana..." Alex shushed Kara, holding her unfocused eyes on hers the best she could.

"Neeit svesana...topido?" Kara whispered closing her eyes. That was a bad decision. Kara turned an awful shade of grey and Dr. Hamilton recognized it first.

"She's getting sicker, get her to the shower!" She commanded. They didn't pause, they pulled her over to the shower, and all 3 jumped in fully clothed. Kara immediately vomited up anything she had eaten that morning. They were holding her head under the cool water of the shower to bring down her temperature, and to make her feel a little less sick. Once she was finished throwing up, she felt a little better. Still very sick, and in a lot of pain. The water stung all of her tiny wounds. Her dizziness was a little better with the refreshing water. She took a few deep breaths and dared to open her eyes. It was a regular shower. Beautiful, but a shower. Far from the inferno she had envisioned previously.

"Are you ok? See? Water." Alex soothed again, as she pulled Kara's wet hair back from her face.

Kara took one more unsteady deep breath and nodded slightly. "I'm ok...I'm ok. It's was just...Mel-Id...I thought..." Kara tried to articulate.

"I know sweety. The 'Dunsae', when the boy scared you when you were young. It's ok. We understand. It's messing with your brain." Alex explained. Kara just looked at her, silently thanking her for knowing her so well, and listening to all of her stupid stories from Krypton when she had first gotten to Earth, and just wanted someone to talk to about home. Alex had been a little standoffish at first, but within a year, they'd become inseparable. For Kara, Alex was like her anchor. Her mentor. Her bring between her home on Krypton, and her home on Earth.

"What the hell was all that?" Cat said, with feigned sarcasm, not so successfully covering up real concern. Dr. Hamilton just quietly continued carefully stripping Kara, and removing the poison as quickly as she could.

"Well my sister here, was having a slightly terrifying flashback because of the pathogen reactions in her brain. Luckily, it was a memory that she'd told me about before. She used to talk about Krypton...a LOT! It's kind of sad because the last few years, outside of her Supergirl duties, she barely speaks about it at all. So, they had this place on Krypton, it was called 'Dunsae'. A place where their planet's outer crust plates were separated a bit, and what we would consider like...I guess a lava? It poured down from one shelf to the next, then down into a deep pit, back under the surface of the shelf. Basically like when we have an earthquake because outer Continental Plates are shifting, except HUGE and HOT. A bully from school and his buddies didn't very much like the House of El. They were assholes with criminals as parents, who were constantly in front of Alura, Kara's mother, the highest judge. They grabbed Kara and tried to scare her by taking her to the edge of Dunsae, and holding her over the scorching inferno. What they didn't expect, was that heat is actually blasting up from the fissure. They were too dumb to learn anything about science in school. It scorched Kara's arms and neck, and she had to stay at home for what would be weeks in our time to recuperate. After that, she was home schooled." Alex explained. Kara just let out a deep sigh, talking was too hard right now, and didn't like thinking about that time. But at least listen to Alex talk about it as a story, put it where it should be. In her memories, instead of her reality.

Cat just seethed. "What kind of place WAS that planet of hers!?"

"No, no, she has dozens of wonderful, beautiful stories as well. Trust me, now that you know about her, she'll tell you. She trusts you, and she admires your strength and honesty." Alex assured.

"Thank you...Ms. Grant...for helping...being there...sorry 'bout...ughh...lies." Kara mustered through an apology to Cat for keeping her identity to herself.

"I'm not going to lie Keira, it stung that you didn't tell me. Especially when I asked you point blank, and told you I was on your side. But I knew...I didn't know how you managed the body double, but I knew. I hope deep down, you knew I knew. That's why you called me? Because you knew you could trust me..." Cat assumed.

Kara just shot her over a quick flash of a crooked smile. "It was instinct." Kara answered. Telling Cat everything she needed to know about her place in her young protege's life. Suddenly, she was drenched with water.

"OH!" she yelled out.

"Sorry, but you need to be clear of the contaminant as well. Quickly!" Dr. Hamilton said, sounding unapologetic. She noticed Kara's breathing getting faster, which meant her heart rate was going up. Which meant the pathogen was spreading quicker. They had brought a dialysis machine in the case of a biological assault. She was hoping they have it set up by now.

Spraying down Alex as well, she quickly turned the water off, and led them back out. Kara's got a little burst of energy from the cool air, and being soaking wet and half naked. They had a towel covering what they could, while being very careful. She was able to move her legs and focus a little better to get back to the living room. The massage table had been completed stripped, and sanitized. The two girls that came in with them, along with Big John the security beast, were all in other rooms getting washed off and changed as well. As they laid Kara back down, her burst of energy had burned out. All she could focus on again was the pain of the Kryponite, still instead her body, pulsing.

As Alex and Cat pried themselves away from the injured alien, they quickly went about changing out of their wet clothes, and into clean more comfortable clothes. As it turns out, most of the time that Carter spends with his father, Cat spent in this secret, makeshift penthouse she made for herself. A select few knew about it. Kara had her suspicions. She'd catch a glimpse of something up there with her x-ray vision, or hear something on the late nights at the office when everyone else was supposed to be at home. Cat had an entire wardrobe up there for her and for a couple security guards.

When they came back out, just minutes later, Dr. Hamilton had already made significant progress. The other DEO agents, or basically Physician's Assistants, already had Kara almost fully hooked up to the dialysis machine. She was so weak from the Kryponite, her powers were nonexistent.

Dr. Hamilton went swiftly, but carefully going in sections to make sure she didn't miss any Kryptonite.

The barista, and Liz were over in the office with J'onn, getting a debriefing on the happenings of the morning, and signing all of the Non-Disclosure Agreements along with knowing Supergirl's identity.

As Alex and Cat sat quietly holding Kara's hands while she squeezed weakly and whimpered in pain, the elevator door opened suddenly. In walked Winn and Agent Vasquez, escorted of course by Big John.

"Oh my God Kara!" Winn ran over to them, laptop and bulky bag in hand. "Who did this, do we know anything yet about the attack!? Is she going to be ok?"

Kara was startled at the new, frantic male voice coming at her. She cowered slightly, eyes wide. She would never say out loud, that for almost a full minute, she thought she was being berated by Non. Dr. Hamilton notices her tense, and paused, knowing that Kara would come back around.

"Wesley? What are you doing here!? How do you even know about here? What..." Cat was interrupted.

"I work with the DEO Ms. Grant! Relax! I help Kara. How is she? I saw the van on the news, there was Kryptonite EVERYWHERE. But somehow, interestingly enough, no one there saw anything? I guess that's fortunate? If not...odd..." Winn rambled.

"Winn! She'll hopefully be ok when all of this is said and done. But for right now, you're scaring her." Alex calmed him down. "Her brain and some neurological functions have been attacked, and impaired by the bio-weapon released in the attack. It doesn't seem to be affecting any of us, but for her, it's like torture. I need to you be calm, and to do your job right now. She needs you to find out who did this, and to contain her identity's exposure. First, check traffic cameras to see if you can identify where the van originated. Vasquez, if you can help ID everyone that was in that shop. They have to be vetted, and further questioned buy our agents. We'll pose as FBI, and use the guise of a possible anti-alien terror attack. Unfortunately, everyone would be quick to jump on that fake news. Cat, can you make a few calls, and make sure that's how they play this in the media. Tell them you have to eye witnesses that agreed to an interview, and you can use the girls in the other room's names. Assuming they're ok with that of course. Make SURE that everybody is 24/7 berated with the news that Supergirl was NOT present at the attack..." They all took in their instructions for a second.

"GO!" Alex commanded. Even Cat hustled away to do her chore. As Alex turned her attention more towards Kara, and met her eyes, she stared for a few seconds. She was actually inspecting Kara's micro-reactions and motor functions. She didn't look much better. It took Kara longer to snap out of it than she'd like. "Hey, where are you little sis? It's quieter now, it's that better?" Alex asked?

Kara looked away, she was spacey, like she was seeing something that wasn't there. Alex brought her hand to Kara's face, and slowly turned it back to look her in the eyes again.

"Kara. It's Alex. Are you with me? Look right here. Focus. It's ALEX." She chanted. Kara blink a couple times at those last words. Recognition slowly washed over Kara's face. She blinked slowly again, the look right into Alex's eyes.

"alex." Kara barely even made sound. To Alex it was the greatest sound she'd heard today.

"Heeyyyy, you're back with us. Don't go away again ok? Look at me, right here. I'm not getting up again. I won't leave you until we get you through this. OK?"

"Ok." Kara whispered. "I love you...help me?"

Alex's tear fell at that. Even Dr. Hamilton, ever the stoic, sniffled at that. Then continued her work. She was more than halfway done. Kara was startling to wiggle and shake more, making it more difficult. She was afraid she was coming down, and wanted to get this shit out before she went into shock, or worse.

"My sister. I'm right here. I'll help you. None of us are leaving you." Alex tried to convey all of her sincerity with her eyes. She was getting more worried as her sister's condition slowly deteriorated. She needed that machine to start doing it's job, NOW.


	4. Chapter 4

_"How are her vitals?"_

 _"Her EEG finally looks back to normal...her heart rate is back down. It's at human level still...but that's to be expected after everything she's been through."_

 _"Do you think any permanent damage was done?"_

 _"Her reflexes are all normal. She reacting to physical stimuli. I'm hoping that means that everything has cleared out of her system and no nerve damage was sustained."_

 _"J'onn, Winn, What about the other exposure? Is everything contained?"_

 _"We're holding steady right now. No one seems interested in giving away her identity. Partly because they love Supergirl, and she put herself in harms way to save them. Partly because they are all regulars, and they know the kind, happy-go-lucky Kara Danvers. We'll be monitoring the situation closely. I have a task force assigned to containment."_

 _"OK, so...what about suspects? Have we identified the substance? We've been assuming it's alien, since Kara seemed to be familiar enough to warn us of the effects..."_

 _"It's not Earthly. There is nothing in our database that matches anything like what she experienced. We don't even fully know what KIND of substance it was. If it's a toxin...parasite...disease? We have a small amount that we saved for testing, but without a clean room, we can't risk any more exposure. We also aren't sure if it can multiply or reproduce or..whatever..soooo"_

 _"So we're nowhere, with no information, and no leads. Well, we can assume it's probably Cadmus for now..."_

"Dax'mm..."

Alex was cut off from her briefing by Kara's mumbled voice.

"Agent Danvers, her EEG is reading activity, and her heart rate is up. She's coming out of it." Dr. Hamilton relayed quickly.

"Kara? Kara? Can you hear me Kar?" Alex hovered over Kara immediately, overanxious to see her sister's eyes, and here her speak. She needed to know she was OK.

Cat perked up from her position where she laid dozing on her couch.

"What's going on, is there a change?" She asked sleepily.

"It looks like she's waking up" Winn added.

"Is she ok?!" Cat rushed over to the table.

"Everybody back up! Relax, and give her some space!" Alex said, commanding, but not louder than a whisper. She didn't want to frighten Kara in case she was experiencing any further effects.

Everybody took a couple steps back, and Alex turned her attention back to her sister. Kara had a familiar crinkle in her brow. Alex recognized that as a sign of stress. Kara was trying hard to get back to full consciousness.

"Kara...can you open your eyes for me? I need to know you're ok. Or just squeeze my hand if you can understand me."

Alex felt an immediate twitch of Kara's hand, then a tight squeeze. Tight enough to be forceful, but not Supergirl tight. ' _Well that answers that question. No powers."_

"Alex..." Kara whispered, crinkling her brow even more with effort as she slowly blinked her hazy eyes open.

Everything was fuzzy. Blurry would be the only thing that Kara would be able to describe it as. As if everything was a little too bright, and a little too hazy at the same time. As she blinked a few more times, she looked around confused.

"Kara, Hi. Welcome back." Alex said softly, and she rested her free hand over Kara's forehead. Kara raised her other hand to meet her sister's, but winced after the movement. She looked down and blinked again to make out an IV, and a mess of tubes and wires stuck her her arms. She tried to assess her body, but it was taking longer than normal. She was having a hard time focusing on one body part at a time. All she could really register with certainty was a general pain on her entire left and front sides, and a hell of a headache.

"Welcome back to hell, apparently. Ow. This sucks." Kara breathed out, with a hiss punctuating the end of the statement.

"Yeah, you're still healing. No superpowers yet." Alex sympathized.

"You were talking..." Kara closed her eyes tight to try and stave off the haze of the headache. When she opened back up, her vision was clearer. She could see Alex fine, and noticed there were other people in the room.

Alex was a little confused.

"Talking when...like just now?" Alex asked.

"No...before...about the powder..." Kara said with a little more diction.

"Oh, you heard that? We were throwing around theories. But now you're awake, so maybe in a little bit, when you feel stronger, you can help us with a starting point on this stuff. For now, just relax. Get your bearings, and heal." Alex explained.

Kara nodded. "I'm alright. If I'm still here, and lucid, then I'll be alright." She moved to sit up, but her body protested and she flopped back down . The cuts and gashes from the Kryptonite were still fresh, under bandages.

"Whoa, OK Supergirl, take it down a notch. You're just Kara Danvers right now, remember. No Superhealing powers." Alex gently placed the pillow back under her sister's head.

"Ow...again. OK, we'll stick to talking for now." She let out a huff of relief from laying back down, mixed with exasperation of having to lay back down.

"You don't have to talk either, if you're tired. But we do need to give you a little bit of a cognitive exam. To make sure there are no permanent effects." Alex assured.

"I won't. That's not how this shit works..." Kara answered back crassly. No filter comes with the exhaustion with her. Alex recognized it right away, but she was too confused to laugh.

"What do you mean? How do you know? Are you sure?" Alex asked. She had a million more questions, but was trying to contain herself from overwhelming her sister.

"I'm sure...we learned all about it in school when I was a child." Kara explained.

"So it _is_ alien?" Alex confirmed.

"Alien, yes. More... made? Kind of? Fake? There was an event on [Krypton]." Kara was having a hard time with the technical talk in English. She was still pretty slow thinking, having inadvertently spoke Krypton by it's true name in Kryptonese. On top of it, these were complex scientific processes that she hadn't thought about since learning about the attack .

"What do you mean by that? Do you mean this stuff was engineered?" Alex tried to help her sister out. She was hearing an accent that she hadn't heard since the first couple of years Kara was on Earth with them. Kara had eventually perfected her non-regional diction by watching a LOT of television. Apparently right now she wasn't trying as hard to hide it.

"Yes, bio-engineered. By Daxam. A long time ago. Hundreds of years before I was born." Kara indicated to Alex she was going to try and sit up again. Her fuzziness was subsiding as she drank the bottle of water Dr. Hamilton provided. Alex helped her up slowly, and Kara was thankful that she was able to stay upright. With some amount of pain, of course, but she felt better moving around.

"So what is it doing here?!" Alex stated, somewhat alarmed.

"I don't know. Only thing I can think of is the ship. They must have kept it all these years. I can't believe it. There was an...a formal...agreement. AN everything. What's it called..."

"Like a treaty?" Cat offered.

Kara looked up, registering everyone behind Alex.

"Oh! Hi, Ms. Grant...what...?" Kara said confused, but too dull right now to come off as shocked.

"We all know in here Kara, it's fine. But, like a treaty...about the substance?" Cat answered calmly.

"Yeah. Yes, a treaty. Between Krypton and Daxam. Krypton had been harassing Daxam. We didn't approve of their arrogance, and slavery. Everybody was" she sighed, and took a second to think "...they stayed...what they were born into." Kara forced out. She was getting her bearings more, and her speech was clearer. Knowing Cat was listening put her more on guard, and she focused intently on her diction. Even if it took longer to speak.

"Jesus, relax Kara, just talk how you're comfortable. After everything you've been through yesterday, you don't have to worry about me thinking less of you. I've pretty much seen you naked for god's sake." Cat chided, trying to be helpful, but not exactly coming off as soothing. Kara perked up, looking very confused, and looked quickly towards Alex for answers.

"It was a thing...I'll explain later. But she's right, just get out what you need to say, however you have to say it. We'll fill in the blanks." Alex assured. Kara was not entirely put at ease, and looked a little sideways at Cat for a couple seconds until she just rolled her eyes and accepted her situation.

"Ugh, whatever, um no, I'm alright. It's actually...helping to think it all through. Helping focus. Me... focus..." She closed her eyes for a second, thinking about how to word the next part of information she was trying to get across.

"OK...so Daxam was sick of us coming over there and trying to keep them in line. They were so primitive...so selfish. The rich staying rich and powerful by enslaving the poor. The poor were born into slavery, and that's where they stayed. There's more that is...irrelevant. So to retaliate against Krypton Daxam had their military engineer this weapon. I can't really get into all the technical specifics right now, I barely remembered before. I'll have to think on it more. Long story short, they...like...mixed together...you know...a parasite from Krypton that they got a hold of, with a popular drug of theirs, and the stuff from like plant...mold and stuff..."

"Spores." Winn offered.

"Right...so they got it all and made this weapon. Powder. They released it on on of our cities. It decimated the entire city, and anyone within a..radius. Anyone we sent in there, which in the beginning was a lot, all died along with everybody else. We eventually realized what you did, that if we wipe it from our blood then we recover. Once lucid, everyone seemed to recover fully. We used one of our remote terraformers to crack open our crust, and buried everything in, what would pass as our form of lava to destroy the remnants. We learned all about it in school, and they would take us all to the site as an example of what the Daxamites were capable of. After the attack, we made a treaty with Daxam. We would stay out of their ruling practices, and they would destroy the weapon, and any traces of the formula. I guess they didn't keep up their end of the bargain." Kara sighed, and rubbed her brow. That was a lot of thinking all at once.

"I wonder if that's why one of you hallucination nightmares was from Dunsae. OK, well that makes sense. Little Sister, you know more about this than we do, so if you say you'll be ok, then we believe you." Alex promised.

"But." Kara anticipated.

"But, we're still gonna do a full work up. At the very least because of the stress on your body. I mean, you don't have your powers right now, so it must have done a number on you in some fashion." Alex reminded.

"Blech, can I at least take these wires off? This is highly uncomfortable, and not to mention I'm in a sports bra and spandex shorts in front of everyone I know..." Kara requested. The less foggy she got, the more aware of her situation...and the prying eyes trained on her every move.

"Oh! Yes, sorry." Alex said as she quickly started to carefully remove the electrodes, IVs and wires that were monitoring parts of her sisters vitals.

"Alright, moving on. Someone has about 30 seconds to give me a run down of what happened, where I am, and update me on the situation at Noonan's, and the investigation so far." Kara suddenly insisted. "Also...clothes please? It's cold."

"I got the clothes." said a girl Kara realized she didn't recognize. She tried not to outwardly panic.

"Who...?" She got out, before Cat anticipated her distress. She knew her assistant's 'panic' face. She'd caused it several times herself.

"Eh eh! Relax, that Liv...or something. She brought you in. We all signed all your secret government papers. No need to have an aneurysm."

"Oh...'we all'?" Kara questioned.

"Yes, me, Liv, Big John, Steve #1, and the girl who works at Noonan's." Cat listed, of course not bothering to remember irrelevant names.

"Big John and Steve #1 know!? Oh my god..." Kara was overwhelmed, she put her head in her hands and took a deep breath. Two people she didn't even know, and her two favorites of Ms. Grant's security team know her identity. 'Wait...' she thought, about to panic again.

"The explosion! Everyone at Noonan's! They saw, I wasn't in my suit! And there was a man! And other's, with a car! How many people was my identity exposed too?!" She started talking too fast and rambling, as usual.

"Hey!" Cat came over, since Alex had stepped away slightly to converse with Dr. Hamilton about the charts. Alex looked over about to step in, but saw that Cat seemed to have it handled. She knew Kara trusted Cat, and respected her.

"Hey...relax. We've got it all taken care of. Take some deep breaths." Cat said with surprisingly gentle touch. She placed her hand lightly on Kara's very anxious cheek, and looked her dead in the eye. Kara was shocked for a second, but then started to listen, and take a few breaths to calm down. "Listen, my overly excitable, alien, friend...everything is under control for now. No one wants to expose you. We tracked everyone down. They're all on the same page. We all love you, and no one has any interest in hurting you. OK?"

Everyone just started, no one wanted to be the next one to talk.

"Anyway, nobody wants to hear you yelping because you're flailing about, and hyperventilating with a hundred tiny stab wounds all over your annoyingly perfect BMI. Seriously! Couldn't you have at least 1% body fat?" Cat said, as she stood up and walked over to the kitchen to pour Kara another glass of water.

Liz came running in with a pair of workout pants and a tank top.

"Here, this is was best I could think of...considering I don't really...like...know you.. Or what you like to wear. Well, besides what your were wearing earlier. Which...I didn't even consider while picking these out..." Liz said nervously as she handed Kara the clothes. Kara just stared at her, trying to process everything that's happened.

"These are fine..uh..thank you. Was it Liv? I can never be sure with Ms. Grant." Kara asked.

"Liz...actually. She's been calling me Liv all yesterday and last night." She confirmed Kara's suspicions.

"That sounds about right. So, I think I recognize you. Maybe? Headphones Girl?" Kara inquired.

"If by that you mean I always have my headphones on so guys don't creep on me at the shop, then yes, that's me." Liz smiled.

Kara laughed, "Yeah, I know what you mean. But I've been digging the selection recently. Nice summer jams."

"Thanks. Just made the new playlist the other day...wait..." Liz said, confused.

"I creep. Sorry. I like music and I'm always curious what everybody's listening to. It's a bad habit, I know. Sorry." Kara stumbled, realizing that what she was doing would probably be an invasion.

"No, it's cool. If I had super hearing I'd probably do it too." Liz shrugged. Then she leaning in and whispered. "Do you like...use your x-ray vision to like..." She trailed off.

Kara was confused for a second before..."Oh! No! Rao no!" She stuttered and turned bright red.

Cat came back with her water and noticed the familiar red hue. "Oh, must have embarrassed the most embarassable person on the planet. What a shock."

"Sorry, I was just like...curious..." Liz said, now embarrassed as well.

"No no, don't worry about her. She would turn bright red if you told her her penmanship wasn't up to par. Anything dirty and she turns into a 12 year old girl." Cat poked fun at Kara. She saw Kara's face drop a little, and realized that after all of Kara's dreams and hallucinations, she probably didn't want to be reminded of being 12 years old. "Oh, I'm sorry Kara, I took for granted that you were being yourself and didn't think. I was just hurling insults without considering others again."

"Ms. Grant!" Kara stopped her. "It's fine, you were just joking. I know you by now. You don't have to treat me any differently. I would never want that."

Cat just rolled he eyes. "Always the gracious martyr." She said, knowing it would make Kara laugh.

"Alright, enough of all this. Kara you're with me. Do you think you can stand now? Since you sound like you're feeling so much better." Alex ordered. "Ladies, go away." She shooed them away, and they went off to see where Winn was with the new information Kara provided.

"Thank you" Kara said quietly.

"I know when my little sister needs to be bailed out." Alex whispered back. Kara gave her a smile that is usually reserved for only her.

"Let's get you worked up by Dr. Hamilton, and dressed. I'm sure you are loving being half naked in front of everyone." Alex continued.

"Yes please. Also. Ow." Kara admitted.

"Ooo. How bad."

"Like 4?" Kara said shyly.

"So at least 6." Alex answered back. Kara looked away innocently, then grimaced when she stretched her neck the wrong way and twinged her cuts. She instinctively lifted her hand up an felt gauze tapped down her neck. Then felt up to her face and felt more.

"Ew, do I look as good as I feel." Kara groaned.

"Even worse." Alex smiled. "You look like you'd be at an 8, so I think you're pretty lucky kid." She said, as she carefully pulled her sister's head closer to kiss the top of it.

"You're really sure you're gonna be ok?" Alex asked, looking her in the eyes once more.

"I'm going to be ok. Physically. All 3 people that made it out alive were apparently OK once they reached lucidity. I guess that's the last area the Corradreeol infects before it's completely cleared." Kara paused. "Hey! I remembered!"

"Yey, you're definitely more alert. Cognitive function has already improved dramatically. How's your vision?"

"Still a little blurry passed a few feet. Is that bad?" Kara asked.

"Well, obviously it's not awesome. But you're still healing." Alex tried to sound reassuring. "Ok, lay back down. That's enough."

"But you just asked me if I could get up? We haven'y even tried yet." Kara complained.

"Kara..."

"Please...I just wanna try to get my blood moving again. I'm not gonna get better unless..."

"Fine. Fine. Let's give it a shot. We can go in the other room to finish the exam and get you dressed." Alex acquiesced. She put her arm up to help Kara up.

"Ugh...this sucks. Evil, Bio-Genetically Engineered, Parasitic, Magic Mushroom Dust...AND Kryptonite. Great." Kara groaned, as she used Alex's arm as leverage to stand up. She leaned heavily on her right side, as it was less injured. Limping along, they made their way into one of the bedrooms to get Kara fixed up.


	5. Chapter 5

"Cat." Kara said from behind the mogul.

"Keira." Cat answered, not turning around from her work. She was behind, had to create herself an alibi for why she suddenly stormed out of the office the other day. She was going with family emergency out of town. It was only half lie.

"Hey, um, thanks for all this. I know we're invading your personal shelter. I'm sure you didn't expect anyone else to find out about your safe haven. And I could have had Alex have someone pick me up my things. I appreciate you sending for them. It was jarring to go with Alex to get changed and see basically my entire bedroom set up in a random room I didn't know existed." Kara rambled on.

"Kara, after everything you've been through, you're thanking me for sending two security guards to your house to get your stuff? That took me about 15 seconds once we got you settled with the dialysis." Cat finally turned around. As she saw Kara's awkward expression. She rolled her eyes. She couldn't even be hard and sarcastic with her right now. Kara had changed into her loose sleep shorts, and opted to stick to a new sports bra. As modest as she would normally be, she had to acquiesce that this was the least irritating and painful item she could find. Cat just looked at Kara sincerely, rested her hands lightly on Kara's elbows, and sighed.

"You're hopeless. It really is the least I could do. Who knows when you'll get your powers back. That crap did a number on you. We also haven't tracked down that evil cult CADMUS yet. It's obviously too dangerous for you to show your face yet. I figure, if you have to be stuck somewhere, and in pain, you deserve to be as comfortable as possible." Cat asserted.

Kara's gaze broke from Cat, and slowly looked down, eyes closing as her hand reached up to rub her forehead. As she felt her cuts on her face, she opted to sigh and run her hand through her hair with a sigh. Cat softly reach up and turned Kara's chin in order to get a better look at the multiple small gashes marring her protege's pale, youthful face. She almost looked childlike being this vulnerable.

"Dammit. All of my resources are at the disposal of your DEO to help find these bastards, OK? You'll heal, and then you kick their asses. All these bandages..." She waved her finger motioning towards Kara's torso, arm, and legs. "...these are temporary. Your fire, that spark that has been missing from your eyes these past few weeks, you'll find it again. We'll help you let go of that burden. You do have friends, and family. You can lean on us for a change, ok?"

Kara looked up, surprised at Cat's intense and sincere caring promises. She took a deep breath as she met Cat's eyes, and nodded shortly, giving a half smile on the side of her face that hurt less.

"Thank you." She said once more. She couldn't think of anything more just then. Her mind was still slightly foggy, and her emotions were still reeling from everything that had happened.

"OK...well...get out of my face Keira. Do you not think that I have literally hundreds of things I need to be doing other than listening to you babble on!" Cat said, shooting Kara a wink back as she turned to continue her work. She was instructing her entire empire to shine a light on CADMUS, imploring anyone with information on the organization to come forward. Stating that National City, nor America, would not stand for this type of cruel and sick, sadistic terrorism.


	6. Chapter 6

**I usually don't do forwards prior to my chapters, but I feel the need to share that I write this Supergirl fanfiction on my laptop, from my bed. Old Star Trek episodes are on my television. I'm wearing my brand new TARDIS hoodie. Under my Jurassic Park comforter. Waiting for my girlfriend to come to bed so I can put on Game of Thrones episode 1 to introduce her to it. I think that just made me, quite literally, the nerdiest human being in New Jersey. The End.**

 _"J'onn."_

J'onn lifted his head toward the sound. It was Kara, she'd whispered his name from across the room, knowing he'd hear her. As he met eyes with her, she nodded her head toward the bedroom, and carefully limped that way, indicating that he meet her in there. He knew she had to be starting to get bored, and frustrated that she couldn't help. He'd never known her to do well waiting, and not being able to help. He prepared himself, and followed her into the bedroom as instructed, closing the door behind him.

It didn't take his mind reading skills to see that she was deep in thought. She was troubled by something very specific. Even so, she took her time getting over to the bed, and sat gingerly. She winced a little, and he moved to help her settle herself. J'onn knew she was fatigued and hurting when she let him. He notices that she'd taken the bandages off of her face. It was probably more comfortable and less painful for her, especially if she was up moving around. The wounds were closing at this point. No one seemed worried about infection. Once she was up, and as comfortable as she was going to get, she didn't waste time and jumped right in.

"We need to step up this investigation." She said suddenly, very serious.

"Whoa, ok, well, we had Winn match up the facial recog, and traffic cams to find the source of the van. That led us to where they had dispatched the driver. Unfortunately, they'd taken his family..."

"They were murdered. I heard." Kara said flatly. "I heard it from the hall. I can't...That's too fresh. That's not enough J'onn! I know we don't have any solid leads, but it HAD to be CADMUS. It HAD to be Lillian Luthor. As much as it kills me, I think she knew about the toxin before she came to us. I went over everything in my mind over and over. Something didn't add up for me. That entire mission seemed off. There were too many questions, and this answers every single one of them."

"Alright, so, going off the assumption that it was Lillian, that still doesn't put us any further in our investigation." J'onn tossed back, he waited for the catch.

"Just her me out on this please, and don't interrupt, and don't say 'No' like I know you're going to." She waited for his nod. "When I was in Lena's office last week, I went over to grab a glass of water. On her table over by the bar, was a think folder with just 'L. L. Track' handwritten. I might have sneaked an X-Ray glanced while Lena wasn't paying attention."

"Of course, you did. I hope you're not getting at what I think you're getting at..."

"Hey! We said no interrupting! She can track her J'onn. I didn't say anything before because the tracking was all after the fact. She could track where Lillian HAD been. There was cell phone data, and facial recog trackers. Lena has her resources, but even the richest CEO would have the government, and cell phone company privacy law hangups. They probably have to go with historical data, and public street cams that are easy to hack. Her algorithm and data trackers, with OUR government resources...She'd be able to live track Lillian. I know she would."

"Absolutely not. We are NOT bringing in a Luthor on your secret. You've already been exposed to enough..."

"Enough people. Random people! People I don't even know the names of. That I most likely see every day, and that are being trusted with my identity. Lena is a true friend, to both Kara Danvers, AND Supergirl. I've wanted to tell her for quite a while now, but you are all so stringent. She proved herself trustworthy to the DEO during the battle. It's time J'onn. We need to bring her into the fold. And quite frankly, I'm sick of lying to my friends. Good friends, who trust me. I did it long enough with Cat, and I don't want to repeat my mistakes with Lena. You think this is a favor I'm asking, but it's not. It's a tactical necessity, I deserve to have this solved quickly, and get back to my life so I can heal. You OWE this to me." Kara had gotten heated. She didn't mean to be that forceful, it actually made her a little lightheaded after the fact. With her blood pressure rising, each of her wounds pulsed. Her heavier breathing due to raising her voice for too long was causing her injured side and ribs to get irritated. She leaned forward, and gently rested her head on her uninjured palm in order to relieve the swimming sensation in her head.

'Hey, relax, calm down...that's it, get your bearings, you're hurting yourself." J'onn was listening to her heart, and feeling her blood pressure with his hands. It didn't take a medical professional to be able to tell that she had started to strain her breathing.

"OK, Kara, now you listen. First, you need to get some rest. You got up too soon as it was. Then, you started walking around, and working, like your body hasn't just been through hell. It's your secret. Ultimately, if you want to tell someone, I can't stop you. You made some good points. If this is what you want...we'll do it. I don't like it, but we'll do it. Alright?" J'onn tried to make his voice as soothing as a large, shapeshifting, male martian can. Kara nodded and winced as she opened her eyes back up.

"I'll lay down, I promise." She acquiesced. "I need to."

"Good, because it wasn't a request." J'onn helped her lay down on her non-so-injured side, and crouched down to her eye level.

"Alright so, how do you want it to play out? You can't go out there to get her. It's too dangerous." J'onn brainstormed.

"Just bring her here. I'll text her that I need to see her, and that I'm sending her a car for security purposes. She'll question it, but she'll go along. I'm just laying down for a little bit. Get another spot for her prepared at the table, and hardwired into the system, and let me know when she's on the way up." Kara quietly instructed, trying to stave off the headache she'd induced.

"Alright, but remember...this is your call. You're responsible for her actions."

"I know, it's fine. I trust her. I just don't know how I'm going to tell once of my closest friends, that her mother didn't have a change of heart and go up to that ship to get her back. It was just an opportunity that Lillian needed to get her hands on another weapon that could harm Supergirl. She doesn't deserve this."

"Neither did you." J'onn added, as he turned the light off and closed the bedroom door behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

"You've reached Kara Danvers, please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!"

Straight to voicemail...again.

"Damn it Kara." Lena said under her breath. She'd went given her friend a call a couple of days ago to chat about the terrorist attack downtown. She figured it had to do with Supergirl, and Kara might be covering it, or had spoken to the hero at least. It went straight to voicemail then, and she hasn't answered since. Lena knew her best friend, and Kara ALWAYS went to Noonan's. It was to the point wear she's not sure Kara could properly proceed with her day without going there first for a crawler and her coffee choice of the day.

"Shit." She said under her breath, as she received the message stating Kara's voicemail was full. Lena tossed her cell unceremoniously onto her desk, and ran her hand over her hair, smoothing it towards her standard work bun. She was now getting overwhelmed with worry. She'd called Catco, and Kara hadn't been in. Cat Grant was out of town on some trip that she'd given no information about to her subordinates. James was running the office in Cat's absence, and he was largely unavailable.

Suddenly, Lena heard her telltale tone from her intercom.

"What." Lena said bitingly towards her poor assistant.

"Oh, um, sorry Miss Luthor, there's an Alex here from the new IT hardware company. She said she has an appointment with you specifically, but I don't have anything..." her assistant stumbled over her words.

Lena was already at the door. She recognized a cover when she heard it. As soon as she heard Alex's name she was up and rushing for the door.

"Alex! Come in!" Lena rushed Alex and Hank into the office. She slammed the door inadvertently, leaving her startled assistant in confusion.

"What the HELL is going on!? Where is Kara? Why are you using your cover? Is this about DEO business, or Supergirl? Was Kara at Noonan's?" Lena had so many questions. She wasn't sure who she was more worried about. Definitely Kara...it was definitely Kara.

"Hey, calm down, and keep your voice down." Alex said softly, looking Lena in the eyes, noticing for the first time just how close friends Kara and Lena had become. She placed her arms on Lena's, and tried to convey a sense of calm for the woman. She'd been through a lot, what with Lillian, and her Ex that Kara had mentioned. Lena was clearly still rattled.

"Hey, why don't you sit. Everything's OK. Hank, can you grab a glass of water?" Alex turned Lena around, and forcefully walked her toward the small couch in the office and sat her down.

"Scotch." Lena corrected.

"Scotch." Hank affirmed.

"OK, listen, Kara will be alright, and Supergirl will be OK."

"Oh thank God." Lena breathed out, as she took a swig from the scotch Hank had just handed over. "She scared the shit out of me. What happened to her phone? Wait...will be alright? What happened? She WAS a Noonan's!"

"Shh, yes, she was at Noonan's." Alex stated lowly, trying to bring Lena down a notch. "She's injured, but she'll be OK. I promise."

"WHY hasn't anyone answered her phone? Why didn't you call me? I was freaking out Alex." Lena was getting more upset now than scared.

"Hey, there were reasons. We were preoccupied with tending to Kara, and to Supergirl, who was also injured in the blast." Alex tried to be careful with her words, not to blatantly lie.

"Jesus, I mean, I get it but...Jesus." Lena dipped her head down a little closing her eyes and shaking her head slightly to process. When she opened her eyes again they looked right at her scotch as she took another swig. Sighing out of slight relief, she looked back up at Alex.

"You good?" Alex asked calmly.

Lena just let out another long breath and nodded. "So where is she? When can I see her?"

"We're gonna take you over now. She asked for you. She wants to make sure you know she's alright, and talk to you about Supergirl. Also, we have another DEO project we need your help on. She wants to explain everything to you herself though." Alex explained. Hank just stood imposingly with his arms crossed. He still didn't agree, but he was trying to work more with Kara, and respect her wishes. To a point of course.

"What does Kara have to do with the DEO? Is it just because she's your sister and that she knows Supergirl? Because with all the fuss you gave me about knowing about you guys, I wouldn't think you'd just let a friend of Supergirl's..."

"Lena, just come with us please. We don't have time to sit here and explain." Hank cut her off from another stream of questions that they couldn't answer.

Lena was startled at being cut off again in her own office, her own building really. Her concern and curiosity got the better of her in the end, because she just rolled her eyes and got up to leave.

The car ride was fairly silent. Lena had finally given up on asking questions about what was going on. She had the distinct feeling that the Director Henshaw didn't quite like her very much. Alex hadn't said much since she conveyed that Kara wanted to speak to Lena personally. Lena resigned herself to sitting in the back with her eyes out the window. As they drove by Noonan's, she shuddered. The thought of Kara being involved in that blast made her equally sick and angry. What kind of monster would plow into innocent people, just going about their lives? She looked away.

"We're here." J'onn said after only 5 minutes in the car.

"Wha...we just left? This is Catco? You can't tell me that Kara is injured and working. I mean, I wouldn't put it passed her but...you guys aren't going to answer any of my questions." Lena learned to eventually just shut up when the DEO was involved.

"Let's go" Hank said as he parked and got out of the car, leading Lena and Alex over to the private elevator. Lena looked a little confused as Alex slid a small key into the panel and pressed one of 2 buttons. Her curiosity was maxed out. All she could do was buzz her thoughts around in her huge brain, and try to contain her nervous energy. Outwardly, Alex and Hank wouldn't have known. Once she'd asked her last question, she remained as stone faced and stoic as ever.

Hank made eye contact with Alex...'Maybe she'd work well within the DEO after, she's got a poker face that's for sure.'...Alex did a double take at him with startled eyes as he projected his thought onto her.

"I hate it when you do that." She said, as she smacked his arm. He smiled slightly. "And that remains to be seen." She answered his thought.

"I know I'm missing something..." Lena said, eyeing them suspiciously. This was in the top 3 strangest elevators rides she'd ever taken. Thankfully, the elevator ding ended the awkward exchange, and brought on something infinitely more strange. There were numerous DEO agents, all different kinds of equipment, from IT to medical, and one Cat Grant sitting at the small bar on her laptop.

"Where's Kara? Where is Supergirl? In that order please." Lena asked calmly, among the busy hustle of the room.

"Kara is resting in one of Ms. Grant's extra bedrooms up here. She said that when you get here, you can go right in and wake her up. Trust me, you'll understand why she wanted to see you in person once you head in. I think she would also appreciate if you'd close the door behind you for privacy." Alex explained, as she walked Lena over to the bedroom door. "Whenever you're ready..." Alex walked away, leaving Lena to ponder one last time. Then she took a deep breath, and walked through the door to see her injured best friend.


	8. Chapter 8

**Warning: Excessively elaborated emotions**

As the door opened, and the soft glow of light illuminated the dark room, Lena saw the outline of a motionless figure on the bed. She was hesitant to turn on the light and wake up the woman. Partly, because she felt bad waking someone who was clearly out like a light, but mostly, because she was scared to see her friend hurt and in pain. She thought back to the wreckage that was Noonan's, and the footage of the chaos directly following the incident. Lena closed the door softly behind her, sighed, and flipped the light switch. She crinkled her brow as she saw the multitude of bandages from neck to shins. Her friend laid largely on her right side, hair falling in front of her face in waves. Lena just now realized that Kara was a blonde. For some reason, with Kara's hair always up, she had it in her head that her friend's hair was darker than it really was.

Kara stirred softly with the light, but settled back into her nap. Lena was going to have to actively wake her. She figured she'd sit for a little bit, and just look after her friend. Letting it sink in that she was really ok, and this whole strange situation could fall into the background for a few minutes, where she could calm down her relentless nerves.

Lena took off her heels, and walked silently over to the bed. Sitting carefully on the edge, she got the full scope of the injuries. Kara wore a sports bra, and yoga shorts. Very uncharacteristic of her timid demeanor. Gazing upon the bandages though, it was not surprising to Lena. With, what looked to be, one long piece of gauze wrapped around Kara's abdomen, one around her chest, and a large piece covering a large portion of her neck. Then large pieces taped carefully to her arms, and thighs, down to small patches on her hands, forearms and shins. Her face, didn't look to have bandages on it though. Lena carefully slid her hand to move Kara's hair from her face and stopped. All movement ceased, for what seemed to be an eternity. Not a muscle moved, Lena's breath even halted for a little too long. Her hand still hovered over Kara's face, with strands of Kara's wavy, somewhat messy hair draping over her fingers.

Supergirl. How did she not see it before? Kara's blatant, and often terrible excuses. Her fumbling over her words at times, while otherwise perfectly well spoken. Never daring to take off her glasses, or let her hair down. Always looking terribly demure, but nerdy at the same time. Behind all of that was always a strength, a hidden resilience that Lena admired. She'd never mentioned it to Kara before, as she didn't want to pry or bring up possibly unpleasant feelings for the younger woman. She could tell she'd had been through plenty in her short span on this Earth. Lena just now realized...Kara's short span on this Earth was even shorter than she'd thought. That her friend's internal demons that were hidden so well, were so much larger and more terrible than she'd ever imagined.

There was hurt, yes. Of course her feelings were hurt that Kara hadn't told her the truth. Especially after everything that had happened with the Daxamites. But then, since that time, when did they spend any significant time together? Kara had withdrawn quietly over the last weeks. Not enough to be noticeable, but enough to where Lena now understood the depth of what she was going through. All hidden, behind a smiling face, and and a well placed goofy remark every now and then. She saw it all, in the cut, disheveled, pale, exhausted looking face of the strong, yet broken woman in front of her. The hurt feelings melted, and transferred onto her friend. Who also happened to be her hero. The bright, young, energetic woman she admired, intertwined with the strong, deeply wounded, and mysterious superhero who protected the entire city.

Lena couldn't be angry at Kara. She, more than anyone, understood the need to bury one's secrets. To hide one's past from everyone, even those they care about, in fear of losing them all. If fear of being vulnerable in front of a new friend. Yes, she'd been vulnerable in front of Kara a few times now, and Kara in front of her. But neither of them had fully bared their soul. Something ever-present within both of them was holding them back from taking that next step in their friendship. From being fully comfortable with one another to just be themselves. Lena tried to cut through all of the thoughts and feelings swimming wildly through her mind, and focus on the big question... 'What happens now?'

Lena thought about today, thought about what was happening right then. Kara did it. She took the leap. She was the one that decided that enough was enough. No more tiptoeing around their friendship. No more awkward silences, or thinly veiled lies that went ignored, but not unnoticed. This was it. She put it all on the table for Lena to do with what she will. Kara trusted her completely. Enough to reveal her deepest, and most dangerous secret. One that could clearly put both of them in danger if revealed, and most likely had put both of them in danger in the past. She trusted that Lena was ready to know, and to understand her completely. As a whole person. Not as a persona that she put on, hiding the deepest, most important parts of herself in the dark. Kara was still Kara, and Supergirl was now Kara. Nothing had changed, and everything had changed. All of this in the span of the 2 minutes she sat at Kara's bedside, laying her friend's hair so it was out of her face, and away from the harsh, angry looking cuts with which it was littered.

Lena sighed, and gently rested her hand on Kara's shoulder.

"Kara. Kara, wake up. It's Lena." She said almost in a whisper. She wasn't sure Kara would even hear her. Unbeknownst to her, Kara's sleep had started to become restless. Only when she spoke, and Kara started to stir, did Lena notice the light sheen of sweat that had started to form on the Kyrptonian's forehead. Her breathing had ever so slightly increased in pace, and she formed a distinct crinkle in her forehead.

"Hmm, Kara? Hey, hey wake up. Everything's ok. It's Lena. You're dreaming. Wake up Kara." Lena increased her volume a little in order to coax her friend out of her dream as gently as possible, but that wasn't going to work. Lena noticed immediately that this just caused Kara to become more agitated and restless. Her breathing quickly became faster and heavier. Her crinkle turned into a grimace of fear and pain. She let out a muted cry, quiet enough for only Lena to hear, but disconcerting enough to alert Lena even more.

Lena shifted her position to kneeling in next to the bed, keeping her face in Kara's line of sight. Kara started to turn her head back and forth in tight jolts, and aimlessly, but limply move her arms defensively. Lena held her wrists, carefully not to hurt Kara, but to also keep Kara from hurting herself. From the feel of it, Kara did not currently have her Supergirl strength. This both worried her, but relieved Lena at the same time.

"Kara, come on! Open your eyes. Listen to me, it's Lena, your dreaming! Open your eyes!" Lena was talking at regular speaking volume, but with a hushed tone of urgency. She'd resorted to ordering Kara to wake up. When Kara shot her eyes open, and jerked up to a half seated position, she jerked Lena with her. Lena still held on to Kara's wrists to keep control over the confused, and frightened girl. Girl, she noticed, is what Kara looked like in that moment. A terrified girl waking from an untold, unimaginable nightmare, in which she had been trapped. Kara simultaneously locked eyes with Lena in terror, and winced at the pain the sudden movement caused. Her breath changed from heavy to hitched, as the flare of fire across Kara's body held her air to small, quick doses.

Eyes still locked with Lena's, Kara blinked a few times while trying to calm her aching body, and trying to shake the ghosts of her dreams from her vision. As it became clearer to her that it's was Lena's eyes she was looking at, she started to calm. She dared to break from the stare to look about the room, and get her bearings that it was the bedroom above Catco, and that she was safe. She turned back to Lena's concerned eyes, letting a long blink rid her eyes of the left over tears that had formed in her fear. She took a few deeper breaths when she could, and locked eyes with her friend again. Kara opened and closed her hands twice to make sure she could still feel them, and nodded to Lena. Lena gently let go of Kara's wrists and sat on the edge of the bed again. Kara's eyes drifted downward for a few seconds, she stared at nothing, trying to reconcile everything that had just happened. Lena put her hands up to Kara's face, and softly wiped the tears with her thumbs. Then, cradled Kara's head in her hands, and tilted Kara's chin up to coaxed her friend to look her in the eyes once again. When Kara obliged, Lena gave her a sad smile.

"Are you OK?" was all Lena asked. She expected an honest answer. Kara no longer had any reason to hide her vulnerability from Lena. She'd seen Lena at her worst, and now Lena had seen her. Kara shook her head ever so slightly, and Lena slid a little closer to cradle Kara's head into the crook of her neck. Lena rested her chin on Kara's head, and Kara carefully lifted her injured arm to hold on to Lena for momentary support.

Kara could have this with Alex. Alex was the most important person in her world, but she was also her big sister. Kara knew she could be truthful with Alex, and vulnerable, but she never was comfortable with it. Kara always felt like she had to be strong for Alex. As strong as she could be. Sometimes she broke, but it was never on purpose, and she stifled it as soon as she could. Especially since coming out as Supergirl. Kara felt like she had to prove that she was strong enough. That she was up to the task. She'd fought with Alex to be able to do this, and she had to prove that she could handle it. Kara had Cat, but even that relationship was more of a mentor/student relationship. Or boss/employee. Just recently, she'd started to see Cat as a friend, but it still felt a little weird. Cat was much older and wiser, and Kara had a hard time finding a proper balance with their relationship.

Lena was exactly what Kara had always needed, but never allowed herself to have. A friend. A best friend. Someone with whom she could feel as though she was on equal footing. Someone who understood Kara, but wasn't obligated to her in any way. Someone who was a friend, and who cared about her because they genuinely enjoyed each other's company. She had Winn, and to a point James. There was always a barrier between both of them. Always that latent, sometimes BLATANT sexual tension. She could never have a moment like this with either of them, or with Alex. There would always be something to cause her anxiety. An underlying fear that one of the men would be thinking something other than pure comfort. An underlying need to put up an appearance of bravery.

With Lena, she could just...be. She hadn't felt that since Mon-El. There was nothing sexual or romantic in nature, the way she felt about Lena, but with her, and with Mon-El, Kara could just be herself. Both of them chose her. They chose to care about her. With Mon-El, the romantic part was understood, and established, and comfortable. It wasn't something she was anxious about when they were intimate like this. With Lena, it was about a different kind of love. A real friendship. A bond that she'd never felt with any other girl. In school, she guarded herself. She put on an act, a human act. At first, she'd done that with Lena, for too long. Lena opened up to her about her insecurities, and allowed herself to be honest. Kara had finally been able to let Lena in, and do the same. They didn't need to talk about it. Kara was so afraid to reveal her alien self to Lena. Afraid she'd waited too long, and it would push Lena away out of hurt or anger. Or even worse, that Lena would be disgusted, or push Kara away for being not of this Earth. The moment she opened her eyes from one of her new horrifying nightmares, when she realized it was her FRIEND, Kara knew. That all of that was gone. All of her apprehension, and silent fears dissolved as soon as Lena wiped her tears. As soon as she held her close and let her relax into her, with no awkwardness.

Kara weakly pushed herself up to a sitting position. Lena helped keep her steady. Kara nodded, and ran her better hand through her hair, indicating she was OK. Lena finally let her arms down, and just gently kept hold of Kara's hand.

"I understand why you didn't tell me. It's OK Kara. I get it. I get YOU now." Lena squeezed her hand gently.

Kara nodded sheepishly. Now she actually was starting to feel a bit nervous. Non-verbal communication was one thing, but having to actually express herself with words was another. She was going to start rambling, she knew it, she wasn't going to be able to stop it. There was so much she wanted to share with her friend. Kara finally just sighed, and let it happen.

"I wanted to tell you so many times. I've never really had any friends who were girls. I never understood human girls really, their social interaction is here is so different from what I learned growing up. I just kind of, stayed out of it. But then I met you, and you were so cool, and like...easy to talk to. It's like you saw how weird I was and understood my brain right away. You made what I was saying and how I was saying it OK. You never treated me like a freak or a nerd or whatever. I heard a lot of things coming in, being the new girl at a school with people that I had no knowledge of their customs or social interactions. I barely spoke the language when I first got here. Everything was a lie, I was just learning about my powers, and everything was totally overwhelming. I guess I just never learned how to fit it with human girls. Alex was different, but Alex knew me, knew about who I was, and was kind of a teacher. She became my sister after a while, when she finally accepted me. I just...thank you." Kara cut herself off there.

Lena was taken aback.

"Thank me for what?" Lena asked with a smile. "Kara, you're amazing, and kind, and funny. You're smart as a whip, though some people I feel don't realize exactly HOW smart. I didn't even realize until this moment. I think now about how you had to adapt, and how quickly. Some people don't even manage to learn a language fluently in...however long you've been here...let alone learn it so quickly and perfectly. I never even heard a trace of an accent. It's uncanny. And you've learned to adapt to two full planet's histories and cultures. Gestures, movements, vernacular, even animals!" Lena has started to get excited, and her curiosity boiled over.

Kara just raised her eyebrows and looked at her a little funny. She was amused, and but not shocked at Lena's sudden interest in her brain. Lena was always a learner. Always intrigued by the unknown, trying to figure everything out.

"Hey there, whoa, one amazing revelation at a time. I'm not THAT impressive. And I wouldn't say I've 'mastered' the Earth customs. There are plenty of things humans do that still confuse the hell out of me. Capitalism? I will never understand the politics of this world. The music...I love it! It's VERY different from anything we had. I didn't even really know what 'singing' was until I came here. Our language was originally spoken in a very melodic way, so no one ever just SANG. So when I came here, I had to learn to dull down on the inflection of the language, and differentiate 'speech' from 'song'. Alex says I have a great singing voice, but it's probably just the natural way things roll off my tongue. I can't tell the difference between what's good and bad singing. How did I get stuck on talking about singing?" Kara rambled again. Excited about talking to someone frankly about her past. Lena just listened intently. Like everything Kara said was the most interesting thing in the world. Kara looked at her face and started giggling.

"What?" Lena asked sitting up. She suddenly realized how she had instinctively leaned over to listen to Kara, like a child in class.

"You're an even bigger nerd than me." Kara giggled again. 'Oh this is going to be fun.' She thought. Not to mention Lena's brilliance. Kara could talk about her home engineering, and socio-economics, art. All things that Alex appreciated, but wasn't entirely well versed in. Alex was more of a straight shot thinker. Biology, what was in front of her physically. Building, and creativity were never really her forte. This just added like a whole new 100 levels to their friendship.

"Ow." Kara winced. "Not as much with the laughing. Ugh." She said, more quietly. Lena snapped out of her curious moment. "Sorry!"

"OK, so, what's with the bandages. You're Supergirl right? What the hell happened?!" Lena suddenly reverted right back to her blinding concern.

"Kryptonite. Mixed with a very nasty toxin. It's been pretty terrible. Powers are fizzled out right now. They're working on tracking down the terrorists that were behind the attack. That's where you come in." Kara eyed Lena warily. She was not looking forward to the next part of this conversation.

Lena stood, half expecting what Kara was going to say, but not willing to offer the information.

"Lena...look at me. I know you can track your mother..."

"She's NOT my mother." Lena snapped back.

"Sorry. Lillian."

"No, I can't."

"Yes you can."

"How would you know that?"

"I saw a file."

"Yeah but that's..."

"Not real time. I know."

"How do you..."

"Let's just assume I have X-Ray vision, Lena."

"Jesus..."

"With the DEO equipment and with no government red tape, I KNOW you'd be able to use your data to track CADMUS. The weapon that they have, it can easily kill me Lena. Slowly, and not without some...awful side effects. They don't mean to just get rid of me Lena. This is personal. Lillian wants me to suffer. She's already caused it once. And it worked. Very, very well. It's only by luck, and a few new friends, that I survived. There was a while there that I wished I hadn't."

"The nightmares..." Lena thought allowed.

"They are new, yes." Kara admitted, closing her eyes, but quickly reopening them when she didn't like what she saw in the dark.

"What is the weapon, and how do you know that it's her for sure?" Lena asked.

This wasn't going to be easy. Kara was going to have to say it.

"I'm sure." Kara said, trying to convey that Lena shouldn't ask more questions.

Lena turned and looked Kara in the eye.

"No more lies. Don't hold back. Just give me the facts." Lena said with a steady, eerie calm.

"The weapon. It's a Daxamite weapon. I think Lillian knew about it, and that's really why she wanted on that ship when we went up there to get you and Mon-El." Kara laid it out there. "But it's just my theory."

"You're right. That makes the most sense. The Daxamites are gone, and she's the only one besides me that was up there with us. It was her, and she's not trying to hide that fact. She knew that if you survived, you would have definitely put it together. She was either 100% certain whatever this thing was would kill you, or she would have been prepared for you to know it was her. This isn't going to be easy. She's got a plan. If this has been in the works since before the Daxamites, then she's already 10 steps ahead of us. We have a lot of work to do. I'm gonna need a REALLY good computer, all of my data, and a shit ton of coffee. It's still early, and I'll I've had today is Scotch." Lena looked fierce, but behind it Kara could see the anger and hurt.

"Hey, you can take a few minutes. Why don't you sit for a few before jumping in?" Kara try to coax Lena to process this news, but Lena wasn't having it.

"Jumping right in is the only way right now. I will do everything in my power to protect you, and all of the aliens that I know Lillian and her cult mean to do eradicate. She's evil. Whatever she has planned, the next phase is most likely coming sooner than later. I have to do this Kara." Lena was close to Kara now. Her hand in a fist, shaking with overflowing emotion. She jerked slightly when Kara touched her face, and blinked in surprise.

"Thank you. It means the world to me that you're here. With us. It was very important to me that you were a part of this." Kara said simply, and honestly. Once Lena broke out of her angry tunnel vision, she closed her eyes and let one tear fall from each. She knelt to the floor in front of Kara, her eyes still closed. Kara left her hand on Lena's face to let her know she was still with her. To ground her. Lena took a shaky deep breath, and opened her eyes. That steely resolve was back, she was calm now, and she was ready.

Lena stood slowly, straightened out her dress, and pulled Kara to gently help her to her feet.

"Let's get this bitch."


	9. Chapter 9

***Sorry about the wait...I've started this twice, and have lost it twice. The cons of the lack of Microsoft Word, and children using my laptop. So, third time is a charm eh?***

Winn couldn't help to think, if Lena had Kara's powers, her computer would be a melted hunk of plastic and silicone.

"Ms. Luthor, why don't you take a break. Get something to eat...or coffee...or alcohol or something?" He offered. She was seriously intense.

"I HAVE to figure this out. She needs me to do this...I need to do this. That bitch...that...CULT has to pay. She doesn't get to get away with it this time." Lena broke her gaze from her screen, but didn't look Winn in the eye. She felt like she was failing. She did not like failing. She'd been discreetly watching Kara meander around the penthouse, or at least as best as her friend's injuries would allow. Kara was tired, she was scared, and she was in pain. 3 things that Lena had never seen on Kara prior to today. 3 things that she did not have any interest in seeing continue.

Kara seemed to be getting worse instead of better. It had been upwards of 12 hours since Lena had arrived. No sign of powers, or accelerated healing. Just a largely cloudy expression, and slow dragged movements. She noted Kara hadn't tried to sleep again since their moment in the bedroom. Lena wasn't around for the big, terrible moments. From the stories, and the sight of Kara earlier, she assumed it was due to nightmares. If that was true, it still didn't change the fact that Kara wasn't sleeping, and that was definitely a hindrance to her recovery.

"I think you need to take a break."

Lena jumped, broken from her thoughts. She realized that she'd trained her eyes on Kara once again. Alex had crept up behind her easily.

"You scared the hell out of me. I can't take a break, I need to figure out how to speed the CCTV connection to the plate reader and cell tower program. It's bottle necking. I can't get a live track. Knowing where they were 10 minutes prior won't help!" Lena vented.

"Lena, that's pretty damn close enough." Alex assured.

"I can get it live! I know I can. It'll be over!" Lena was wired, and on edge. She was bombarded with a lot of information all at once. It was hard to focus once all of her initial shock and anger wore off. That was what had been driving her work and determination. Now there was just a lot of hurt, and confusion. It was muddling her thoughts, and keeping her from staying on task. One minute, she's working tirelessly on code, and network connections...the next she's been staring at the bandage on Kara's neck. One minute, she's checking the fusions on her motherboard configuration, the next she's counting the bullets on the ammo belt hanging next to Cat Grant's $3000 jacket.

"It doesn't need to be 100% live Lena, we can pick up the slack. We'll find them." Alex placed her hand on Lena's tense shoulder. Lena's breath hitched for a second.

"She needs to be stopped. I will NOT let her do this again. She has that...weapon. It's evil. No one with a soul would use something like that on another person. Alien or not. Lillian needs to be caught, and she needs to be put in a hole. I want her to suffer for what she did. For as long as humanly possible." Lena bit out the words, without forethought. Her stream of consciousness just fell out of her mouth. Somewhere in her mind, she knew she was with someone who felt the same. Lena felt safe expressing her internal darkness.

"We'll get her. I promise you, we'll get her. I'll bring her in alive myself." Alex understood exactly what Lena meant. She had a hard time trusting a Luthor in the beginning. Since then, even just within the last 12 hours or so, Alex has seen what Kara most have in the woman. Lena is nothing like what she'd thought. She is sincere, and she cares deeply beneath that stony expression. Alex now sees what lies behind Lena's piercing eyes. Even after the trauma that she just witnessed her sister go through at the hands of Lillian Luthor, Alex might even dare to say that Lena has been hurt even worse by her step mother. She didn't know the full story, but she's been reading Lena's subconscious responses. Profiling her, if you will. She felt the deep pain coming off the woman in waves.

"Lena, take a break. That's an order. You're in DEO territory now, you follow our rules. And I say, you've done well. For right now, you gave us what we need. Our agents can take it from here. Go have some coffee, or a drink. Do some yoga or something... whatever billionaire CEOs do to relax."

Lena rested her forehead on her hand, and took an unsteady breath. She just realized how tense her muscles were. Maybe Alex was right. She went to stand up, and all of her muscles screamed at her for having say in the same position for too long.

"Yoga would be both very beneficial, but very painful right now. I think I'll pass." Lena snuck a smirk at Alex, as she stretched out her neck and arm muscles. Alex raised an eyebrow, with a smirk of her own in return. With a small nod, Lena stood up straight, with ever perfect posture, and strode over to where Kara was sitting.

Kara had been staring off toward the tactical team, which had been charting Lena's track points. They were researching several possible locations. A few of them were suiting up for recon missions about the city. When Lena approached, Kara's hand was gently supporting her head, and her eyes were mostly closed. It was as if she was asleep with her eyes open. Lena wanted to take advantage of the moment, and try to coax Kara to the bedroom for the night. The tac teams weren't going to have real results until after they had a definite location, and an entry plan.

"Kara?"

"hmm."

"Kara, you're exhausted, come on. Let's go get some sleep, I haven't slept right in days either. I lay down too." Lena gently put her fingers on Kara's shoulder, and startled the younger woman.

"Rao! Holy shit Lena, you scared me." Kara had involuntarily jerked, and tensed. Lena quickly held her hands up.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were awake."

"I was, I just...I must have zoned." Kara blinked her eyes open the best she could. Everything had started to muddle together. She was so tired, but every time she closed her eyes for more than a few seconds, unimaginable horrors started to creep into the edges of her brain. She wasn't even really sure what they were, she'd pop her eyes back open before they ever took full form. But that wasn't working all that well any longer. She was starting to see weird things even with her eyes open. The lines between her dreams and reality were starting to blur. It was definitely getting weird.

"Kara...you need sleep." Lena sat down next to her and whispered. "It's not going to keep the nightmares away if you stay awake. It'll just bring them to life, and make them more real for you. I don't presume to know what you went through, and it looks and sounds like it was horrifying. I'm so sorry you had to experience that. But right now, you need sleep. They're going to drug you if you don't try on your own. I don't want them to put more poison in your body right now. Will you come with me, and close your eyes with me? I'll be right there the whole time." Lena's voice was steady, but soothing. Kara made a heartbreaking face. Lena could see that she was on the verge of tears. Exhaustion, fear, and helplessness were beyond set in. Kara hated the feeling she got without her powers. Everything was painful, heavy, and hard. She felt terrible. Her whole body ached, and she could barely keep her head up. She was colder than her normal temperature. She was used to running warmer than everyone else, but everything seemed a little chillier now. She assumed it was her body trying to heal at a normal level. She knew that when humans were healing, sometimes they got warmer. Maybe that was what was happening. Either way, she wished that she could comfortably wear full leg footie pajamas right about now.

"Kara?" Lena repeated, after she saw Kara had started to space out again. "Hey, come on. Let's go." Lena demanded as she got up of the couch, and carefully held Kara's hands to help her friend up. Going by how sluggish Kara had been limping around the penthouse, it was going to be a chore getting Kara to the bed. As Kara used Lena's arms to help herself off of the couch, her entire body screamed. Every muscle was either pulled, overworked, or tense. It was a pain she'd never get used to. Lena let Kara flop back down onto the couch after the first attempt to get up. She understood what it was like to overwork a muscle, or to ache with the flu or something. She assumed that it was from the explosion. Kara had been literally laying on top of an explosive device after all. Kara braced again, and used Lena and her own momentum to get up. She immediately got a head rush from sitting for too long, and had to stop to sway for a few seconds. Lena looked at her worriedly.

"You alright? You just went completely pale. I'm worried about you." Lena said quietly, she tried not to call too much attention their way.

Kara took a deep breath in, and then out. She got her bearings after another moment, and looked Lena in the eyes. She nodded her head to indicate she was OK to start walking. Lena had Kara wrap her hands around her arm, and put all of her weight onto it. Lena was surprised how much heavier Kara was than she seemed outwardly. She had never really been in the position to be able to tell. She assumed that it was the Kryptonian physiology. Different muscle mass and gravity ratios, etc... Man did she wanna pick Kara's brain about all of that.

After what seemed an eternity to Kara, Lena finally eased her down onto the closest side of the bed. Kara slowly braced herself, and laid down onto the expensive sheets. The rest felt so amazing, she could've fallen asleep in seconds. Her mind was still foggy, but her anxiety was racing ever forward. Bubbling to the surface like a volcano ready to erupt. Just laying down seemed to set it off, as her body knew subconsciously that that meant the nightmares were bound to return any minute. As Lena finished changing into the yoga pants and tank top Cat had generously had brought over for her, she heard the unmistakable sound of an anxiety attack looming. The heavy, quick breaths were starting to get more pronounced as she turned around to come face to face with her friend, as light tears ran down Kara's face. The look of fear she saw in those eyes would haunt her for years to come. It would be burned into her brain.

"Hey...hey...shh shhh. I'm here. You're here. You're OK. You're safe. OK?" Lena was already holding Kara's face in her hands, keeping Kara's fearful, wild eyes staring directly into her own bright green irises. Kara was blinking, trying to stave of the tears, and trying to take deep breaths along with Lena to keep as calm as can be expected. She knew Lena was holding her face, but she couldn't feel it. The hyperventilation had turned her face and extremities into a mix of pins and needles, and completely numb. As her breath started to even out, she suspects due to sheer exhaustion, Kara shifted her hand to grab onto Lena's wrist and hold on for dear life. She almost wanted them to drug her at that point, but she knew that the drugs would only keep her down, left to fend of the horrors with no way to escape. At least this way, she'd be able to wake herself up, or be woken up. That was her lifeline in that moment.

Lena climbed over Kara on the bed, and adjusted herself behind her friend. Keeping her wrist where it was in order to keep Kara grounded. She propped herself up and held Kara as tight as she dared with the bandages. Kara grabbed even harder, and held Lena's arm around herself. Lena's hand was close to Kara's chest and neck. She could feel every labored breath, and feel Kara's rapid pulse. Lena squeezed just a little tighter, feeling as though right then, Kara wasn't worried about the pain of her wounds. Then Lena did something she hadn't in years. She held Kara from behind, and started rocking back and forth. It was a steady motion, one that Lena had used subconsciously as a child to calm herself during her own panic attacks, and social anxieties lingering from the constant bullying at school. A coping mechanism to deal with living in a house where she was either ignored, or despised. She didn't think about it, she just started doing it. Kara's tears and breathing slowed after a while. They laid there quietly, both waiting for Kara's eyes to inevitably close for good, and for her to pass out into some much needed sleep. Once Lena heard Kara's breath slow, and even out, she stole a glance at the woman in front of her. Kara's eyes were finally closed, lips slightly parted. She finally fell asleep. Lena was going to take the opportunity to steal some Z's while she could. She suspected Kara's demons would come up soon enough to interrupt their much needed slumber. The last thing Lena remembers feeling, was that Kara was warmer that a normal human. She wouldn't even have needed a blanket. The heat radiating off of the alien was warmth enough. Kara on the other hand was shivering, no matter how much Lena tried to bundle her up. So, Lena kept on the blankets in order to try and keep Kara comfortable as she slept, before drifting off quickly herself.


	10. Chapter 10

***This is kind of all I have today, so bear with me. Also, Season 3 Premiere feels got me like...***

Cat stormed into her own safe haven to find 8 DEO officers in civilian garb.

"What the HELL is going on? Where is Agent Danvers!? Where is Kara?!" she scolded.

"Ms Grant! Ms. Grant calm down, keep your voice down!" Alex rushed over in order to keep Cat's screaming from waking Kara.

She had keep a discrete close eye on her sister, and felt a sense of relief that Lena has gotten Kara to attempt some much needed sleep. Her little sister had looked awful, and wasn't healing as quickly as she'd like. She knew sleep would come easy, or incredibly restful. She knew with the sheer quantity of small, deep wounds Kara had, and the longer her powers were down, Kara would have very little defense against all multitudes of infections. Hopefully the heavy antibiotics would stave them off long enough for Kara to jolt her powers back online. The antibiotics themselves might even cause adverse, but necessary side effects on her Kryptonian physiology. Her body wasn't used to her white blood cells kicking in the way humans did. Krytonians where genetically engineered for the most part. Their immune had little reason to work to fight off illnesses. From what Kara told her, besides bioweapons, such as the one used, they had tailored their genetics to not even respond to any pathogen naturally found on the planet. The couple of times Kara had blown out her powers prior to this, she immediately caught whatever virus she came into contact with first.

"What are you doing in plain clothes? Have you guys decided this is a good time to take a nice little break? A leisurely stroll about town? Why aren't you..." Cat was cut off mid rant.

"Cat, shut up!" Alex said in an urgent but hushed tone. "We're going out for recon. We've narrowed down a few locations, thanks to Lena's research and software. We're close. OK? But Kara and Lena are asleep, and I need them to STAY that way. Kara needs to heal." The agent explained. My girlfriend Maggie is on her way up. She'll be here, along with your beefy guards for added protection while we're gone. Do what she says, and STAY HERE. Conner is being tailed, and looked after. Please relax, and just be here. For Kara. J'onn and I will both be gone. We're heading the missions to the two highest probable sites. We'll be back, it's just recon right now. Can you do that for us?"

Cat was sufficiently convinced that her worries were warranted, but for different reasons.

"There hasn't been a change since I've been downstairs?"

"Not a bit. She's getting worse actually. I think she's gonna be pretty sick if she doesn't get those healing powers back ASAP. I want her to be around people I trust. Dr. Hamilton is setting up some more...different...medical equipment. If Kara can't get through at least an acceptable number of hours of sleep, she'll have to be sedated. It's the last thing we want, her body has already been put through the ringer enough, but rest is more important for her to heal." Alex asserted. She made sure to convey the gravity of this crucial point in Kara's recovery.

"Understood. I'll be here as long as you need." Cat nodded. "Now, find those assholes, and kick the living shit out of them. I mean I literally want them to soil themselves. Right there, in front of all their dumb ass, bigot, cult ass clowns."

"Sounds like a plan." Alex clapped Cat's arm forcefully in camaraderie, before walking off with urgency, and laser focus. As the teams were arming up, Cat sauntered over to her expensive scotch for a pour. She noticed some was definitely missing.

"Lena." Winn said from behind her. Cat whipped around. "She hit it a couple of times during and after her programming, engineering marathon. She downed one last swig before approaching Kara to coax her to sleep."

"I figured. I'll just assume she's good for it. I WILL expect a replacement for my private stock." Cat gave a steely stare at Winn, but then broke it with a hint of almost what would be considered a smirk.

"Oh my g...Did you just make a joke?" He was awestruck that he'd actually seen it in real like.

"Don't get used to it Will." She reverted back to form.

"Of course."

"I'm just gonna check on our hero. I'll be quiet, I promise." She said lowly. Almost fearing what she'd find.

Lena started to rouse from a deep sleep. She was confused at first as to where she was, and who her arms were wrapped firmly around. She realized was the heat that had awoken her. She was scorching hot, but trembling inexplicably. Before her panic officially set in, she looked down to see Kara, asleep in her arms. Yet, sleep was a strong word. Kara's brow was furrowed intensely, not to mention beads of sweat dripping down from skin radiating heat. That must've been what woke her. Lena also quickly noticed that it wasn't her that was shivering, it was Kara. The alien's skin was flushed from what she could see at her angle. Something was seriously wrong. As Lena adjusted from her position, and moved carefully to a kneeling position at the side of the bed, she touched the back of her hand to Kara's head and face. She was burning up. She wasn't up on Kara's normal alien temperature, but the way Kara was shivering under a few blankets was alarming. Lena would notice Kara's lips moving, but nothing came out. Random little jerks would lead Lena to assume there was some sort of dream or nightmare activity.

She was not wrong. And she found out the hard way.


	11. Chapter 11

"Anything Director?"

 _"Five by five over here Agent Danvers. I assume it's the same over there?"_

"That's affirmative. Unit 1, anything?"

 _"Affirmative Mission Leader. All clear."_

"Son of a bitch, where are they? It HAS to be one of these sites. The program was too advanced be wrong. Maybe Lena was right Director. Maybe we should let her try and refine it more to get a closer to live location"

 _"It couldn't hurt. But let's stick to the plan for now, at least until we are all clear at each site. Delta Unit Leader, have you secured the outskirt location yet?"_

 _"Currently creating the perimeter Sir. Suspicious vehicles on the south end of the compound. Man, we could have really used Supergirl's X-Ray vision right about now. Agent Delta 2 is reading the infrared in a minute. Stand by."_

"10-4. Do NOT engage. Just try to confirm that's the place, and see if you can get a read on what we're dealing with. I want to make sure we are flawless on this, and COMPLETELY prepared!" Alex asserted.

 _"Um...Mission Leader, this is Delta 2. I think you need to get down here. I'm reading 8 dead, and 3 not moving. No one else in the area. Three vehicles, cold. I think we should get and extract team."_

"Copy Delta 2. All recon units, mobilize to Delta location. Base, send over an armored holding van, and transport for the 8 assumed deceased. We need to identify if they are CADMUS, or decoys."

 _"Mission Leader, this is Delta 3, the site is clear besides the 11 subjects from heat signature recon. Subjects are confirmed_ _CADMUS."_

"How do you know already? You're sure?" Alex asked startled. She was already in transport on the way to Delta location.

 _"Ma'am, Lillian Luthor is here. She's one of the unconscious subjects. Or should I say...vics? She's breathing. Looks like they got ambushed. 8 confirmed shot, DOA. 2 shot, alive but unconscious. Delta 1 and 2 initiating medical assistance. Priority Subject looks to have been drugged. There is an empty gas canister on site, unknown contents. Primary has visible needle stick wound on her neck. She's already handcuffed. Visible bruising and defensive wounds."_

"Copy that Delta 3. Base, also send medics to Delta location. 3 down, 2 critical. We need ANY information we can get, anyone we can keep alive is priority! Director head back to base and prep. I'll ride over with Priority Subject to make sure this isn't a trap. She will NOT be leaving my sight." Alex ordered. Not at the very least concerned that she just gave the DEO Director a direct command. J'onn didn't call her out on it this time. She was Mission Leader after all. Whatever go the job done.

Cat creaked the bedroom door ever so slightly to check on her protégé, and the billionaire CEO. Cat knew what it was like to overwork yourself into the ground, but from what she had seen of all of the new computer equipment and the codes running on the various new screens in her dining room...Lena had outdone even her. She was expecting to see both women passed out dead asleep. Instead, what she opened the door to, was Lena's intensely piercing eyes meeting hers with outright panic.

"Where's Alex?" Lena said in a hushed cry.

Cat's adrenaline immediately kicked in and she scurried up to Lena's side to see what had her so panicked.

"She's still out on the recon mission. Why's she so sweaty?" Cat asked as she quickly raised her hand to meet Kara's hot cheek. "Oh my God."

"She's burning up ad shaking. And she's in distress, a nightmare. I need to calm her down from the dream, but I'm hesitant to frighten her even more. Get the Doctor in here. She needs something to keep her calm, and something to bring down this fever. Her body doesn't know how to fight off an Earth infection." Lena stumbled the words out quickly.

Cat didn't respond. She just jumped up towards the door, and was gone. Lena heard her frantic call for Dr. Hamilton.

Lena softly held onto Kara's arm, partially in comfort, and partially to keep her from flailing as she woke.

"Kara, Kara it's just a dream. I need you to wake up right now. Kara." Lena rose her voice more toward the end, and shook the arm she had in her hand. "Kara it's Lena, you're having a nightmare. You need to wake up now sweety. You're sick. Wake..." Lena was cut off by Kara's eye's popping open, and Lena was stunned for just a couple of seconds by the most horrified face she'd ever seen. That was long enough for Kara's nightmare delusions to be brought to real life in the mist of fever, exhaustion, and possibly some residual psychotropic effects from the mysterious toxin.

Kara wasn't even able to make sense of the terrifying images she was seeing in her dreams. They were happening too fast. They were furiously flashing in and out too quickly for her to make sense of them. She was so confused, and at one point, she jolted. She couldn't tell if she was awake or asleep. If she was in nightmare or reality. Her body felt like ice. Finally, there was a shape in front of her long enough for her to recognize that it wasn't moving. Everything was suddenly very bright. There were explosions, and asteroids flying everywhere. But over to one side there was one of the wild Kryptonian predators, it was flying free. She'd only seen them in hologram form at school when she was younger. Whatever was in front of her was bright, but it still hadn't moved. When she tried to lash out, one of her arms was being held. She kicked her legs to move, and everything lit up in pain. She frantically lifted herself up with her free arm to gain leverage against what ever held her. Her head was spinning, and colors were moving in swirls. In and out of shapes. Some seemed from her home planet, and some from Earth. She saw images of her parents alive, and Alex dead. Mon-El dead, and Clark attacking her again. She heard sounds, but couldn't focus long enough to understand them. The figure in front of her was taking better shape, but it moved towards her and grabbed her arm again. She pulled it away quickly, and struck out. The figure moved back and seemed to fall, but it did not still. Kara used this time to try to flee.

As she tried to stand, she fell a short distance, and everything lit back up in pain. What was causing the pain!? She scrambled up to her feet, and attempted to run. She only made it a step or two when the dizziness and pain got the best of her. She was shivering so violently at this point, that she was surprised that her body hadn't shut down from hypothermia. As she fell to the ground again, the figure rose up into her field of vision again. It was at her side, and pinned her arms down again. All she had left was her legs. She kicked her leg into the other's leg out from under it. As it fell to the side, Kara was able to get the upper hand, and pin it down poorly. She used her elbow to hit it in the face. She blinked a few times, as she tried to still her brain. Everything was so vivid, but blurred. What was wrong with her? She couldn't remember. The figure moved slower, but still tried to grab hold of Kara. Kara pinned them down the best she could. She finally had them by the neck before she was whiplashed backwards.

All Cat and Dr. Hamilton heard was screaming from across the condo. One maniacal, and undeterminable. The other lower and more level, but frantic. They both sprinted in the women's direction. Once they burst through the door, they found Kara, halfway holding herself up, with all of her body weight resting on Lena's throat. They both grabbed an arm and yanked her backwards off of Lena, who leaned to her side coughing. Kara was easy to lift by the two women who had the leverage. She was hyperventilating, soaking wet with cold sweat on her hot, flushed body. Her bandages had mostly been ripped off with the flurry of activity. A few of her wounds had reopened, but nothing serious. They couldn't immediately see what was infected and causing her fever. It could be anything.

Once Kara was reduced to a sobbing, shivering puddle in their arms, Cat wrapped both her arms around her tightly and the two fell to the ground.

"Go get a cold bath ready, with ice! And give us some SPACE!" Dr. Hamilton ordered to whoever was in the group that had amassed at the doorway. Only Winn stayed back, he helped Lena up and walked her out to the med bed.

Dr. Hamilton grabbed the digital thermometer out of her pocket and ran it across Kara's forehead. As it beeped, she couldn't stifle a quiet gasp.

"110.3 - We have to get her in that bath and get her temperature down. NOW! We can't through her right in, she'll go into shock. Help me get her to the kitchen, she's gonna try and fight us. There's no way she can identify anything lucidly right now. Her brain is basically boiling. Even for her normal Kryptonian temp of 103, this is WAY too high." Dr. Hamilton explained as the women lifted Kara and Cat to standing position. Cat whispered to Kara, trying to soothe her but it barely registered for the younger woman. Cat held Kara up by her armpits, Dr. Hamilton lifted her knees, and they rushed her out to the kitchen. Big the bodyguard ran right over when he heard Kara. He lifted her out of their hands, and let the alien cry and scratch at him as best as she could.

"Ms. Grant, your gonna have a mess on your hands later." Dr. Hamilton forewarned, as she grabbed the kitchen faucet spray hose from its place in the sink. She turned the water to room temperature, then made it just a tad cooler. As soon as the spray of water hit Kara's face, it looked like she might as well have fallen into the Arctic Ocean. She gasped in surprise and cold, and her whole body stiffened. Big didn't care that he was getting soaked, and Cat just stood by Kara's head, continuously talking to her, and wiping the excess water from her nose and mouth so she could breathe. She was still shivering intently still, an her breaths were coming in more like deep gasps. Once the shock wore off, Kara looked around frantically, still gasping slightly from the ever increasingly cold streams. She could she more solid shapes of the figures around her. The colors were still swirling, but she could definitely hear a steady, calm sound. It finally seemed like she wasn't being jumped at, or attacked. The dragon in the background of her view was swirling colors, but not flying toward her any longer.

"OK Kara, I know your confused, and you feel like shit...again. But you're dying, this will help.." Cat whispered.

"Alright, now or never, let's get her in the ice bath." Dr. Hamilton commanded.

Big hurried back around to the bath. Two DEO agents had it prepared, they threw the last bit of ice they'd found in as Big eased Kara down into the bath carefully. She clawed at him from the pain of the cold, mixed with the heat of her body. She took in a harsh, deep breath from the shock, and involuntarily held it in her aching lungs.

"Kara, just breathe!" Cat yelled from behind, as Big held Kara's flailing body in the freezing water. Kara screamed ad pleaded.

Kara was desperate to get away from the freezing cold. Her hand slammed aimlessly down onto the porcelain, but it crushed under her fist. Big let go of her out of surprise and fear.

"Shit! Get back!" Dr. Hamilton screamed. Everyone around Kara jumped back, and out of the bathroom. Everyone except Cat.

Kara grabbed the other side of the tub, and it exploded under her hand. Water spilled everywhere, pieces of glass flew. Kara supersped out of the cold, and landed on the floor roughly against the far wall. She was just in a heap shaking and crying. Cat ran over, minding the glass.

"Oh my God Kara! Hey, look at me! Look at me! You're ok! You're gonna be ok! Can you see me?!" Cat grabbed Kara's cheeks and turned her face towards her own. Kara was hyperventilating, her eyes were wild with panic. She had turned eerily quiet. Her tears were silent as they still flowed freely. Cat continued to try and catch Kara's scattered gaze.

"KEIRA! STOP!" Cat yelled. Kara flinched at the newly enhanced noise, and clapped her hands over her ears. She instinctively jerked backward from Cat's hands.

"Hey, whoa hey...I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Shh. Kara, relax. Talk to me." Cat whispered, and gently removed Kara's hands from her ears, and held them in hers. Kara looked down at the clasped hands, and followed them up to Cat's eyes. What Cat saw in Kara's eyes would be burned in her brain for life. She knew that her hero would carry the weight of this experience around with her as well. There was nothing Cat could do. She gently moved closer in order to get Kara to relax. She had her powers back, but she was still reeling from the psychological devastation that just wreaked havoc on her brain. As Kara blankly stared, with the occasional jerky whimper, she eased into Cat's embrace. Cat carefully cradled Kara's head into the crook of her neck, and just sat there rocking her gently. Soaking wet.

Dr. Hamilton had shooed everyone away once Kara's powers came back, but she quietly came in to do a quick check on Kara's wounds and vitals. Kara didn't even flinch, she just stared off into space as Cat rocked. Once Dr. Hamilton was satisfied that the urgency of the fever and wounds were in the clear, she went off to get them some space.

It was Lena, sporting a few new forgotten bruises, who came in some 20 minutes later with dry clothes. She stroked Kara's hair, and gave her a kind smile. Lena then stood, and assisted Cat in getting Kara to her feet. By then, Kara was at least able to walk on her own into the bedroom. Lena laid the dry clothes on the bed for her and Cat to change. Kara did use her superspeed with that. She threw the other tattered, sweat, blood, and tear ridden clothes out. Cat just grabbed her robe from her armoire, and tossed her wet clothes haphazardly to the side.

Lena sat on the edge of the bed, and Kara sat a few noticeable feet away. Cat sat in the armchair she pulled over from the corner. Kara stared at the floor for a few minutes. None of the women wanted to talk first. Finally, Kara looked in Lena's direction, but didn't meet her eyes.

"Was that me?" Kara asked, referring to Lena's very visible injuries.

"Yup, You were scared."

"That's not an excus..."

"Kara. No. Absolutely not one more word about that. I'm fine." Lena stared holes into Kara's distraught face. Kara still didn't look up. Her resolve almost broke into a cry, but she held her hand over her mouth and looked away.

"Where's Alex?" Kara asked. I was so soft, Cat barely heard her.

"She in the field. They've called her and left a message. They found Lillian unconscious. Everyone's on the way to the DEO." Cat answered truthfully.

"OK. Good." Kara hesitated. "Can you...can you both give me a few minutes please?"

"Of course. We'll be out there when you're ready." Lena answered, as emotionlessly as possible.

"Thank you."

After both of the women had left, Kara looked around intently. She needed to confirm to herself that the nightmare was gone. She let out a shaky sigh, and slowly lowered herself to lie on her side. She grabbed the closest pillow, and wrapped herself around it. Kara allowed herself to feel it all. To let it all in for 5 minutes. Then she would let t go. She would be OK. She would help take down the bad guy. In 5 minutes.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry I as gone for a while. I went a little sideways. But the upside is that I'm on temporary disability now, so I have nothing but time to bring you feels. I made it one of my therapy goals to write every day. So you'll be getting more regular updates. If something on the new season inspires me, I may or may not incorporate some canon, or new character traits. Obviously not copy the plot, but I'll definitely be taking note of certain character reactions to different situations. I don't own Supergirl or any of the characters. Obligatory disclosure thing. - JAG**

Kara's sobs were buried into the pillow she hugged so tight. It was horrible. Everything she'd seen. The ungodly fear. The flashing images of Mon-El dying because of her actions. She knew fantasy from reality now, but that didn't change how real they were for her at the time. It was the worst experience she's ever lived through. She watched her parents and everyone she knew explode in a firy mass of rock and dust. She'd floated alone in space for years, in complete silence. What had happened to her in the last 48 hours overshadowed any of that. It was like every terrible experience, any horrifying nightmare, or fear she'd ever had became real. All at once. She knew she wasn't going to get over it in 5 minutes, or probably never, but she could stifle it. Alex was out there doing her job. Lillian Luthor has been captured. Her powers were back, she knew she'd get even stronger in the yellow sun outside.

Kara knew she had to rally. Get up, get it done. She couldn't move. Why couldn't she move? Just go, shove it down, and fly to the DEO for answers? She was just staring now, she can't tell when she stopped crying. She wasn't crying long, but it had all hit her fast and hard as soon as her friends closed the door. Right then, she was just trying to apply the breathing technique Eliza and Alex had taught her during her teenage bouts with claustrophobia. When the walls would close in on her mind, and she'd cower. Feeling trapped again. Trapped in a pod, alone. For all she knew, there was no one else for a galaxy.

 _Move. Get up. Go. Get it done. Find out who did this to her. Get them back. Revenge. Make them feel how she felt. It's impossible. No one could ever feel that. Kill them. Getting off too easy. Life in prison. Not enough suffering._

Kara breathed in short breaths. Her mind was racing. She felt completely alone. No one would ever understand. No one has ever seen what she'd seen. No one would ever be afflicted with the toxin she had been. No one would ever have the experiences she had. She was stronger than this. She wasn't human. She was Supergirl. She was the strongest person on the planet.

 _Get up. Go get her. Make Lillian pay._

Kara shakily sat up. She took a moment to settle herself. She put on her mask. Her Supergirl face. The one she used when all she could think about was putting Mon-El in that pod to go who knows where. When she was sure she'd killed him by putting him in there. When she thought about watching her world die. When the pain is so strong, Kara Danvers just can't take it all. When she had to just be Supergirl. That was the one thing she could do right. She was strong, and she helped people. She knew _how_ to be Supergirl. She had to let Kara Danvers stay in that bed to grieve on her own, and Supergirl needed to go get the job done. She needed to go to the DEO, and find justice.

Lillian Luthor was waiting.


	13. Chapter 13

"Is she conscious yet?" J'onn asked Alex.

With Dr. Hamilton monitoring Kara's condition at CatCo, Alex had stepped in at the DEO to oversee the med team. The CADMUS operative they'd found alive with Lillian Luthor was in a coma in critical condition. Lillian was unhurt with the exception of being knocked out. All of her vitals read stable.

"I'm heading in there now to wake her ass up and get her to tell us what the hell she has her minions up to this time. Kara's theory of Lillian using Lena's kidnapping to get on the Daxamite ship holds weight. I want to here what that bitch has to say. If Kara's right, you might want to bar me from her presence for life." Alex was seething as they walked briskly to her intended target. She had to go check on the other operative first, but held a tablet with the security feed to Lillian's room at all times.

"You need to keep your cool in there. Think about the circumstances in which we found her. Someone took out her whole team. They left her alive purposely. It's possible she's just a decoy. Anyone who had the inside knowledge and resources to pull this off obviously knew CADMUS would be first on our list." J'onn asserted. As much as he was also devastated by what happened to Kara, he also had to try to think logically.

"Either way, she's not getting out of here any time soon." Alex made it clear that that was the end of the discussion.

They turned into the med bay, where Lillian was handcuffed to the secured hospital bed. Alex grabbed the smelling salts from the tray, turned Lillian's head roughly, and held them to the woman's face. It took a moment, but Lillian's eyes suddenly opened. She was startled, and looked afraid. She instinctively struggled, but once she met eyes with a furious Alex, Lillian figured out quickly what was happening.

"What the hell happened!? Last I remember, my associates and I were under fire. Did anyone else survive? Why wasn't I shot? Do you know who did this?" Lillian was stammering. It was very unlike her, she was very rattled. It kind of took Alex aback, but she quickly got back onto task.

"Don't bullshit me, we know you were behind the attack on Supergirl. We just want to know why, and how?" Alex spat out.

"What do you mean? Supergirl was attacked? Do you mean that van bombing? My intelligence informed me that Ms. Danvers wasn't on site." Lillian seemed legitimately confused. Alex and J'onn snuck a quick glance.

 _"What do you think?"_ J'onn projected into Alex's mind.

Alex just gave a slight shake of her head, unsure. She turned back to Lillian.

"You really want to sit here, and claim _officially_ that CADMUS had nothing to do with that bombing." Alex pushed.

"OK, I can see that for some reason maybe my intel was wrong, and Kara was there..."

"It's _Supergirl or Ms. Danvers_! She is NOT your friend!" Alex sneered.

"Whatever, so I'm assuming that 'Supergirl' was actually at the bombing site, and from your obvious lack of objectivity, she was injured. I am _officially_ denying any responsibility for whatever injury may have been caused. CADMUS has nothing to do with it. Now can someone please tell me who ambushed me, and my associates?! And was anyone left alive besides me? I'm also going through somewhat of a trauma here!" Lillian started to get agitated that no one was concerning themselves with what had happened at her site.

"Lillian, don't give a shit right now about your 'trauma'. Whatever shady dealings you have going on have probably come back to bite you in the ass. My only concern right now, is getting to the bottom of the attack on my sister and kicking the asses of the persons responsible. You're going straight to our max security holding cell until you can prove your story, or until we find something that clears you. We have everything that you had on your little makeshift headquarters. Anything we find on your drives that we can pin you on, is going straight to NCPD or the FBI. Welcome to Hell!" Alex spat as she huffed her way quickly out of the room.

J'onn followed more calmly. As he rounded the corner, he found Alex with her fists against the wall, and head down, trying to keep her anger at bay.

"What do you think?" J'onn asked flatly.

Alex took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and finally looked up.

"I don't know. On the one hand, I don't believe a word that comes out of that woman's mouth. On the other, something doesn't feel right. Someone tried to wipe out her whole team, and only left her alive for us to find? If it's a third party, they would have had to know that we'd never believe anything Lillian has to say. It's possible they would have wiped out her team so that they couldn't corroborate her story. If so, and they are as smart as they seem, they would have wiped her drives as well. That, or placed false information." She sighed in frustration. "Everything is compromised. We're back at square one. Son of a BITCH!" Alex smacked the wall in anger.

"Hey, take it easy. We'll find out who was behind this. Whether it was Lillian Luthor or not. We have some of the best agents and analysts in this field. Plus, Homeland Security is looking into it as a terrorist attack. The key is, finding out who would have access to both Kryptonite, AND that toxin...parasite...thing." J'onn reasoned.

"Who the hell else would've been able to get that stuff? Who would even KNOW about it? Is it something that Mon-El's mother set up in advance? Maybe she has followers down here?" Alex pondered.

"Raina WAS able to get to Lena with her lies and manipulations. Lena is probably one of the smartest people in the country, and she was able to get inside her head to use her weaknesses against her. This city is full of gangs, and factions that, I'm sure, hate Supergirl. That would willingly follow someone that promised to help take her down in exchange for their loyalty. After she died, what if one of those factions went rouge? They would have had access to Kara's identity, and could have easily obtained the toxin, and Kryptonite from Raina prior to the battle." J'onn expanded on the theory.

"It's worth investigating. I'm not giving up on Lillian yet, but we can't do anything until we get more intel from her hard drives, and we interrogate the other survivor." Alex resolved.

"Alright, let's transfer the rest of the temporary operations at CatCo back here. We'll pull our resources, and start putting feelers out to some of the known Supergirl hate groups. Ask Maggie if she can get us any help on the NCPD end of things. I know she has some underground contacts. Anything we can get will be useful." J'onn suggested.

"Absolutely. Once Winn gets back here, I'll have the analysts look into Raina's possible movements while she was on the ground. How she got her money, her transport, whatever they can dig up. I'm going to head over to CatCo to see how Kara is doing. I've been gone a while, she was looking worse when I left." Alex took out her phone for the first time since apprehending Lillian. She had 9 messages. All from Cat Grant, Lena, and Winn. "Something happened." She stated more to herself than anything.

"What, what is it?" J'onn suddenly got worried.

"They left me messages. Cat texted me that I needed to get there right away. Shit that was an hour ago! There was an incident, Kara had gotten worse. They didn't give me any more information. DAMMIT!" Alex ranted, as she almost ran down the the corridor to the command center. She was going through the voicemails, but they were all hurried, with no concrete information on what was going on.

Alex ran through the command center. Her hands shook as she touched Cat's number to make the call...when she heard her name called from the direction of the balcony. It stopped her in her tracks, and it left Cat Grant on the other line repeating Alex's name, until Alex's hand hung up the phone automatically.

"KARA!" Alex rushed over to her sister. Kara was walking towards her sister with a faint smile. Alex wrapped her up in her arms, just like she used to do when Kara got scared or overwhelmed as a child. It was a loving, protective embrace. The only thing that made Kara feel safe when she got that way. Kara and Alex both needed it so much right then. What with everything Kara had been through, and Alex's worry and frustration. They'd finally gotten Kara through, at least the physical end of this crisis. They still had a long way to go.


	14. Chapter 14

Kara slammed her fist on the Command Center console.

"This is BULLSHIT! It was her! I wouldn't even put it passed her to kill her own men in order to make her look like a victim. She was probably so worried about who survived because she wants to shut them up!" Kara raved. She paced angrily around the open space. She was having trouble containing her anger at Lillian. Kara was so sure that it was her. To let go of that theory was proving a nearly impossible task.

"I know I have enemies, and that I'm not very beloved by about half of the alien population in this city. Hell there's also anyone I've ever apprehended, and all of their associates. But none of you can't tell me that CADMUS isn't the most logical terrorists for this attack. It was personal. It was calculated." Kara pondered.

"Kara, listen...I get it, more than anyone, but we can't afford to get this wrong. For your own safety, we have to have all of our options laid out there. We can't ignore evidence, and let the maniacs who did this go free." J'onn tried to bring her logical thinking.

Maggie jumped in from her spot next to Alex. "NCPD has eyes on the ground, AND underground looking for any noise on this. A new player, and old grudge. If there is another lead or avenue on our end, I'll know about it. Try to give it some time Little Danvers." Maggie had moved towards Kara to place her hands on the alien, and tried to cease her constant motion. Kara jumped at the contact. She didn't want to, she wasn't expecting to, but t happened. Maggie quickly, but gently pulled her hands back. Her face did not betray any emotion regarding the exchange. She acted as if Kara's reaction was either expected, or like nothing had happened. Kara appreciated the gesture. She didn't need people looking at her like she was broken, or like she was a loose cannon.

"I know, but it's just...taking too long. I can't go out there, living life like nothing happened. I'll be distracted, and that could cost lives. Not to mention they know who Kara Danvers is, they know my schedule, my hangouts, my friends. I will NOT have anyone else be hurt by these monsters." Kara was visibly rattled, but had calmed slightly. To the trained eye of her sister, she still had a slight tremor in her hands. Alex knew from years of experience how hard Kara was working to keep it together.

"OK" Alex interjected. "The other CADMUS agent won't be out of surgery or awake for quite some time. Maggie is hitting the streets again later on. How about we step out, and get some much needed space from the investigation? If anything happens, I'll be right there with you to kick their asses. Alright?"

"Alex, I have to..." Kara began to protest.

"This is not up for discussion. This is an order." Alex was prepared for her sister's predictable reaction. She moved toward her sister, and grabbed her hand gently. Alex ignored Kara's involuntary flinch, and stayed connected. She moved closer to Kara to whisper. "It will slow down the progress if you lose control. We need to step back from this right now." Alex looked Kara directly in the eyes, and mouthed 'OK?'. Kara closed her eyes, tilted her head slightly down, and nodded in agreement.

"OK, J'onn and Winn, constant updates. And let me know what's going on with the CADMUS guy. Leave Lillian to rot until we get this resolved." Alex directed as she pulled her sister toward the exit. As they walked by Lena, she silently got up to follow. She'd done all she can for now with her program. If Kara and Alex didn't want her company, then she could just head back to her place for some sleep, and a nice ice pack on her face where Kara's accidentally elbowed her.

As it turned out, Alex was planning on taking Kara to the alien bar. Hopefully nobody would be stupid enough to try any attack there. The aliens being generally protective of their own. Even if it WAS Supergirl. As a rule, they don't approve of people targeting aliens just because they are aliens. Nor do they like people attacking aliens in their bar. It was their safe haven. Kara would be safe, unless her attacker were completely reckless.

Lena was happy to join. Though she opted for water as opposed to alcohol. She'd had enough scotch in the last 3 days to cover the month. When they got there, Kara got some looks. Half of pity and solidarity, but a fair share of grimaces. As Lena walked behind them, she got 100% confused stares. Although, with the confusion, she did get a surprising amount of appreciative nods. One patron at the bar had ordered her a shot, as gratitude for her assist in the Daxamite invasion. The reputation across the stars of the Daxam slavery practices, and archaic traditions was widespread, and wildly unpopular. Especially when slave raiders would hit any number of planets, and galaxies, in order to get a nice chunk of change from Daxam's slave owners. Lena accepted the shot, even though she didn't want to drink, she didn't want to seem unappreciative.

Alex didn't allow Kara to drink her one intoxicating beverage, not after everything she'd been through in her mind. She just wanted her sister to get out there in the public, around people again. Kara needed some fresh air, so to speak. Kara on the other hand, wanted to be anywhere other than there. She kept her head down, and stayed relatively quiet. Everything was a little too loud, or distracting. Every time someone got up or came in, she'd be hyper alert. She mindfully controlled her flinching reactions in order to cover her discomfort from Alex. Kara was not successful. After about an hour of attempting to lighten her sister's troubles, Alex gave up on the current plan.

"Alright, we came, we saw, we conquered. I think that's enough public consumption for one night. Let's get out of here. Kara, your coming home with me. Would you like Lena to join us, or are you just looking to chill?" Alex made a point to give Kara the decision, but not be rude or put anyone on the spot.

"Lena, I'm sure you've had a long enough time away from your own home and space. I'll let you off the hook for the night. I'm ok with Alex, I'll probably just binge watch something anyway. I can't imagine I'll be very interesting company right now. Plus, I'm sure you're not looking to get hurt again. I'm getting a little jumpy." Kara said, with her eyes mostly cast down. She didn't know how she was going to get passed having physically injured her friend, the one who had done so much for her in the recent day.

"Well, I just have a bag of frozen peas, and falling asleep to a marathon of something mindless waiting for me at home. I'm assuming you have frozen peas and a pillow at your place?" Lena locked eyes with Alex. She wanted the opportunity to get Kara through this first night home, and passed the guilt of what she did while she didn't have control. "If you don't mind the intrusion, I'd prefer to be with my best friend while she needs the support." Lena made herself very clear. Kara looked up at her, and gave her a sideways hint of a smile. That was enough for Lena.

"Alright, that's settled. What's for dinner? I think all I've had in the last 24 hours has been peanuts and scotch." Lena asked. "I'm buying."

"Chinese" both Danvers sisters said in tandem, and smirked at each other.

"OK, I guess that answers that question." Lena laughed.

As they headed toward the door, Kara noticed she felt a bit off. Her feet became a little heavier, and she started to get light headed. She would normally think that it was caused by a lack of food, but she was understandably extra alert right now. She stopped walking immediately, and held Alex's arm for support. Kara immediately started scanning the room for anything out of the ordinary. The feeling started to increase, and she started to feel sick, and weaker.

 **Alright everyone, this is an unintentional cliffhanger. i have the rest of this chapter written, but my sister's internet is down currently. I've actually even started on chapter 15. So just bear with me /**

 **Love you!**

 **JAG**


	15. Chapter 15

Alex immediately sensed Kara sudden change in demeanor. She's known her sister long enough to notice when something is off. When she turned and met Kara's eyes, they were sure of what this was. Someone had Kryptonite in the bar. The only reason someone would have it, would be to harm Kara. Alex nodded slightly at Kara to indicate to stay calm, and simultaneously reached slowly for her weapon. Lena had just turned to look at Kara to ask why they'd slowed, when a yellow, humaniod alien jumped up behind her from their table near the door. As Lena turned in surprise, the attacker knocked her back into another table full of rough looking aliens. The table flipped as Lena fell into it, drinks crashing to the ground. In one swift motion, Alex jerked Kara back by the arm, swung her gun around, and fired one shot directly into the unknown alien's forehead. Kara fell backwards into some patrons, who stumbled back, and broke her fall the best that they could. The attacker fell lifelessly onto the ground by the door, blood pooling around it's head. By his limp hand, was a Kryptonite lined knife.

The gruff horned aliens that Lena had crashed into picked her up off the ground, and asked if she was alright. Save for a couple of small cuts from timy shards from the broken glasses, she was ok. Just a tad bruised. Though Alex was worried about her sister and friend, the priority was to get that knife secure, and out of Kara's vicinity. She whipped around to quickly check on Kara. Her sister was grimacing in pain, glowing green lines pulsed under her skin as the Kryptonite had taken hold. She was being held up by one a couple of pale skinned aliens that she'd fallen back towards. They had her wrapped protectively in their arms in order to help keep her standing.

Alex was satisfied with Kara's temporary safety, and ran to the knife. Scooping it up quickly, she tucked it into her jacket and ran out the door to get it clear of Kara, and contained. As Alex disappeared, Lena got her bearings and rushed over to Kara. The effects of the toxic element were wearing off as Alex had run out. The big horned aliens marched over to the dead attacker angrily. This was a no violence establishment. They picked up the attacker by his neck, and held him up.

"Who's with this low-life bastard?! If you come out on your own, we'll kill ya quick!" Those guys weren't messing around. If THEY couldn't break the anti-violence rule, then NO ONE could!

One of the other patrons toward the attacker's table yelled. She noticed another yellow alien slinking under a booth seat.

"Got another asshole over here Mack!" she yelled, as she roughly pulled the coward out by their shirt. It turned out to be a woman. The would be attacker was crying and shaking her head.

"Please...no! My husband and I...We were forced to do it! We didn't want to...please! Oh my God! No!" The shaking woman sobbed more when she saw her husband hanging limply from Mack's huge hand. The patron that had the other woman by the shirt let her go, and she ran toward her husband. Mack dropped the body unceremonously onto the floor. Kara had regained her composure by this point, and rushed over to the yellow hued couple. Lena followed close behind, one of the other pale aliens had given her a towel for her cuts.

Kara was visibly shaken, as to be expected. She wasn't quite prepared for the crowd and the attention. Not to mention the blind fear of being attacked again, so out in the open.

"Listen! I don't know what the HELL is going on, but YOU need to start talking! If your story checks out, I'm sorry about your husband, but I will do whatever it takes to protect myself and my family! We'll send somebody for your husband. Right now, you're coming with us." Kara seethed. She was not in a place of compassion and understanding right then. She was scared as hell, which fueled an uncharacteristic anger towards her would be assassins.

Kara grabbed the sobbing woman by her collar, and led her quickly out the door. Lena followed behind. The rest of the barflys righted their tables and chairs, and sat back down to enjoy the rest of their night in peace. They left the dead body lying their in the middle of the floor. Once the drama was done, they couldn't care less about some dumb ass alien, who got killed breaking the rules. His own damn fault as far as they were concerned.

As Kara and Lena were headed back toward the car, Alex was heading back toward them.

"Kryptonite is secure in the emergency box in the car. Who's this?" Alex asked about the woman with tears down her face.

"Wife of the assassin. Says they were forced to do it. She needs to go to interrogation. May be the break we needed." Kara said blankly, clearly overcompensating for her intense emotional state with a hollow tone.

Alex nodded, "Alright, I'll take her. I want you and Lena to head over to her place for now. You are NOT to come back to work yet. I'll take care of this. Rodriguez and Maggie are already on their way over. You are to get some rest. No arguments. Someone out there is making Kryptonite weapons, and they know your identity. I'm not taking chances with your life. Do you hear me?"

Kara was pissed, she just wanted this to be over. She wanted to see someone pay for what they did to her. For the horrors they put her through. On the other hand, somewhere in her gut, she felt like this alien was telling the truth. She knew that the last attacker was forced to carry out the bombing. It's likely this is the same situation. Luckily, this time they had a survivor.

"Fine, but I want regular updates, and give Lena access to the security feed. I want to be able to keep an eye on everything." Kara pushed back. Alex nodded in agreement.

"OK, love you, be safe."

"You too, get these bastards." Kara added. "Lena, hold on, your going for a ride."

Lena immediately tensed up, "Can't I just drive us?" She squeaked out.

"No!" The sisters answered in unison. Lena grimaced, and awkwardly wrapped her arms tightly around Kara's neck. Kara held onto to her and bolted up, and toward Lena's.


	16. Chapter 16

"Grab some stuff, we can't stay here long. They know I associate with you. You'll be on their list of places they'll look for me." Kara rushed, as soon as she landed at Lena's balcony. Lena didn't even have time to properly get her bearings physically after flying, before Kara was flitting all over the beautifully sleek penthouse apartment. Kara was in and out of the bedroom, closet, and bathroom at super speed.

"What do you mean, where will we go?! Kara!?" Lena asserted.

Kara skidded to a stop near Lena, but continued to pack they items she had collected into one of Lena's fancy suitcases that she'd found in the hall closet.

"We have to figure SOMEWHERE out! They are going to find us here. It's only a matter of time. They are bold, and they are NOT slowing down. They know where I live, they know who I am, who I hang out with. We aren't safe here, Lena." Kara did not leave room for argument. "Who knows, they may even have a way to track my movements. Even when I find a place that they wouldn't think to look to find us, I'm not even sure they won't just track me and try to blow me up again..." Kara halted momentarily with the memory of the explosion, and ensuing after effects. The pause was short, but noticeable. Lena softened a bit, and considered how terrified her best friend must be. Kara was releasing it as anger in the moment, but Lena had been to more than enough therapy to recognize the transference.

"Hey, 'Supergirl', how about you take like...30 seconds...and just stop. Breathe. We'll get packed up, actually I think you've already got that covered..." Lena gave a short laugh. "You can stop being your Super self for 30 seconds, right? Just be Kara, and be scared. It's ok. It's a scary situation." Now it was Lena who didn't leave room for an argument. She walked up to Kara, who had ran her hands over her slicked back, ponytailed hair. Lena pulled her friend into a tight hug, and waited the few seconds it took for Kara's shaking arms to reciprocate.

"I know, I'm being crazy. I'm sorry, I don't mean to direct it at you. I just don't want anybody else getting hurt, and I don't know what to do. I just want to fly at bullet speed around the city, and blow out every door until I find these assholes. I should be out there. I want to be out there looking for them so bad I'm vibrating." Kara held Lena tight, as she tried to stave off her anxiety. They pulled back after another deep breath.

"I don't want to snap at you for trying to help. It's just...every time I look at you, and I see your bruises and cuts...I'm sick that it was because of me. I get so angry...and yes, scared. You're one of my only true friends, and I CAN'T let them hurt you again. I'll let them kill me first." Kara's gaze was so intense. Lena wonders how she hadn't seen those piercing eyes behind those stupid glasses for so long.

"Kara...that's how I feel about you. Except, I think you're LITERALLY my only friend. I would do anything to make sure these bastards don't get their sick hands on you. Whoever is behind this is SERIOUSLY deranged."

"No need to remind me." Kara looked like she had more to that conversation, but Lena notice her shut it down. Instead, Kara took one step back, and slowly turned and crouched behind her to zip the bag she'd packed. Lena let Kara have that one moment to herself, without pushing for more. She'd save that for a little bit later. Everything was so fresh. Kara's friends and family had seen a lot more of Kara, and her innermost demons than the superhero would have ever allowed under normal circumstances. The way that Alex had been acting, it was probably more than even she had seen.

Kara was mentally hitting herself for almost breaking her cool again around Lena. She focused on packing, and getting out of harm's way. She had very few ideas about where they could stay, and knew she couldn't let everything get to her again. At least, not until her friends and family were safe, and she knew she'd have plenty of time to herself. She knew she'd need help, probably even professionally. For now, it had to be pushed back to the dark corner where she'd been keeping her planet's death, her childhood failure over Kal, the Daxamites, Mon-El... 'Damn it!' she chided herself for letting her mind wander to all of that again. 'Why can't I control my thoughts? I need to focus. Focus Kara! Stop being stupid!'. She had felt a tear escape, and her she was pressing her lips together as tight as she could in order to avoid the break. 'No. NO! Get it together, get Lena to safety, get these sons of bitches!' Kara noticed that Lena had moved her her proximity over to the kitchen to grab a bag of something frozen out of the freezer for her bruises. 'Stop stop stop stop stop, it's not your fault, get the bad guys, get revenge, keep everyone safe.' Kara looked back down at the duffel bag. She was still on one knee, she hoped that Lena didn't notice she hadn't moved. The brunette seemed to be moving around the kitchen and penthouse with ease, swiftly collecting other necessary items for a short, to moderate displacement. As quick as Kara had glanced up at Lena, she immediately turned her attention back down to the bag. She realized she had been holding onto it for dear life. Kara had almost torn the material with her grasp. She lost track of how much time she knelt staring at her hands, trying to will them to let loose her grip, and get moving again. She couldn't move from her position. It was making her feel even more freaked out than before. Before long, her heartbeat was drumming loudly in her ears, and her heart felt like it was going to break through her chest.

Lena noticed Kara's silent, motionless struggle. She had started to reconsider her decision to leave Kara be. It had been longer than she expected that Kara was zoned out. She had expected Kara to take a minute to compose herself, and continue packing. Kara had not moved for several minutes now. Lena had already collected all of her necessities, and had stalled herself from approaching Kara. She watched from her place in the kitchen, with an ice pack on her face. As the genius counted Kara's breaths, she feared the alien was in the beginnings of an anxiety attack, approaching panic. Kara's blinking was few an far between. Her breaths were shaky, and getting faster. Lena had been through plenty of full fledged panic attacks to notice the signs starting up. 'Just don't close your eyes Kara, don't close them. It'll make it worse...don't close your eyes...' Lena tried to will thoughts onto her friend. Unfortunately, she watched the moment Kara did just that. For Lena, when she was in a similar state, closing her own eyes was always the moment when her anxious thought ruminations turned into straight up panic. That's when she would start to have trouble discerning reality from the fiction in her mind.

"Shit. Kara? Hey, what's wrong?" She approached her friend very carefully. "Kara Danvers! Open your eyes and look at me!" Lena commanded sternly.

Kara popped her eyes open at that, and looked up at Lena, confused. "What?" Kara asked, more to herself than to Lena. Kara's breaths were short and spasmatic. Lena's heart broke at the fear in her friend's eyes. There was only one drying tear track on her pale cheek. As Lena kept eye contact with her friend, and rushed over, Kara slowly brought her hand to her chest. Her brow furrowed, like she wasn't sure what was happening.

"Hey, sweetie, it's ok. Listen to me, it'll pass. It's just anxiety OK?" Lena reassured her as she rushed, mindfully, over to her friend. "Just try and stay present, stay here with me OK? Hey, Kara, can I touch you? " Lena didn't receive a response to her question, only more fearful eye contact. "Sweetie, take my hand. Please, just take my hand. That's all you have to do."

Kara was so confused. She didn't have panic attacks. That was a human response. She was Kryptonian. This wasn't happening. She had told herself to pull it together, to reign it in. Why didn't her body respond? She was supposed to be in control. She didn't have the toxin or infection in her system anymore. This was supposed to be over. The physical part was supposed to be over. But now she couldn't catch her breath. She felt her entire body pulsing with her heartbeats. Lena asked her a question, but she was trying to focus on slowing her heart and breathing down. Somehow, focusing on trying to stop the pulsing, the worse it got. How is that possible? Lena said something about her hand, to take her hand. Why? She didn't want Lena to know. She wasn't weak, she was Kryptonian. They controlled their emotions, they controlled their bodies.

"Kara, quit listening to yourself, and listen to me. HEY! I said take my hand!" Lena's voice had turned from stern to demanding. Kara looked at Lena's outstretched hand, just near where her own hand was clutching her shirt at her heart. When did she move her hand from clutching the bag. Maybe Lena was right?

"I know your confused" Lena specifically didn't use the word afraid... "But I've been through this before OK? Trust me, just take my hand."

Kara loosened her grip from her shirt, and took as deep a breath as she could. No sooner than when Kara un-balled her fist, Lena immediately grabbed her hand. She replaced it exactly where it had been previously, against Kara's chest near her heart. Lena held it tight, as she moved herself around to behind Kara. She knelt on the floor, and wrapped her arms around Kara from behind. She held herself to Kara's back. Lena had both of Kara's hands in her own, and had their arms crossed tightly across her friend's chest. Kara found it oddly comforting.

"Shhh, just breathe in and out with me. You're safe, it's just us here. Follow my breathing." Lena whispered, as to not overwhelm Kara's superhearing.

"I don't know...I don't know what's happening. I can't...Why can't I control my body?" Kara breathlessly murmured aloud through quick bursts.

"Don't think about that, just listen to me. Just breathe with me." Lena continued to hold her friend tight, and guide her breathing in and out. After that, Kara only made quiet sounds as she struggled to get air. She had started to feel lightheaded. Kind of like that time Mon-El had given her that special alcohol. Her teeth had gone numb, and her hands felt freezing against Lena's warm skin. She didn't know how long they sat like that, it could have only been a few minutes, or it could have been and hour. Eventually, Kara found herself relaxed against Lena, still holding on tight to her friend's hands. Their hands were positioned higher by the end of the attack. Lena figured that at some point during it, Kara had instinctively moved their arms up towards her collarbone. Kara's jaw was resting atop their tightly clasped hands.

"I'm sorry." Kara whispered. She took a deep, shaky breath. "I don't know what happened. I'm so conf..."

"Confused, I know. It's OK. You never experienced it before. It happens." Kara felt the vibration of Lena's words on her right cheek. It wasn't until then that she realized how close they were. It was like when she was little, and Alex would hold her after a nightmare. It was the first time she ever remembered feeling that physically close to another person. Even on Krypton. It was the first time on Earth Kara had felt safe. Kara held on to that memory, but tried to listen to Lena, and be present.

"I have felt this before." Kara admitted.

"What? I thought you..." It was Lena's turn to be confused. She went to move, but Kara gripped tighter to their embrace.

"I can't look at you...not while I..." Kara couldn't figure out a way to explain it properly. She wanted to open up, but she knew she'd never get through it if she had to look Lena in the eyes. It would be too much pressure, too much vulnerability. This way, she felt safe to talk, but without the added social anxiety.

"When my parents put me in that escape pod. I looked through the glass, and for the split second before it launched, I saw their faces for the last time. Then they were gone. I'd never been off planet before, only learned about it through holograms in my teachings. The pod was set to automatically route to Earth. I had no control. I looked through the glass, and it was like everything there was no barrier. Like I was floating alone in space, watching a planet crack, melt, crumble, and eventually explode into a jarring force of heat and rock." Kara took another slow breath, and remembered to keep her eyes open, as Lena had suggested.

"Go on...whenever you're ready. I'm right here." Lena held tight and strong. Her presence was warm and comforting.

"The force, it hit my pod like nothing I'd ever felt, before or since. I was strapped in tight, with nowhere to move, but I felt it. That blow that knocked me off course. I remember understanding at the time that my trajectory had been thrown off. I had been given a crash course in the pod's navigational system, but those memories were lost over the years. Before I could figure out how to read my new course path, I felt the way I'd felt earlier. I didn't know what to do. All I could see was spinning stars, pieces of my home flying with more speed I could ever imagine... There were alarms, and flashing lights. I...I couldn't focus, I was so scared. I couldn't move, or breathe. I felt like a 'Dramonicus' was sitting on my chest. I thought something was wrong with the pod life support system. Eventually, I blacked out. By the time I woke up, I was crashing down to Earth. 20 plus years later." Kara had started to relax her grip, once she realized Lena wasn't going anywhere.

"It looks like you assumed wrong. That was a panic attack, kid." Lena let go of one of Kara's hands for the sole purpose of tapping her friend's cheek in jest. Kara let go of her iron grip on Lena. She felt so light. It was like she had been back in Krypton's heightened gravity, then suddenly, Lena let go, and she was back to Earth's gravity.

"I'm all sweaty." Kara lamented, as she moved casually away from Lena, and turned to face her with halfhearted disgusted look.

"Yeah, that happens, too." Lena said with a small huff of a laugh. She framed her best friend's face, and inspected Kara's eyes, and checked for that crinkled brow. Kara just stood, and let her. She sighed, and let her weary eyes close for a few seconds.

"Are you OK?" Lena asked, sincerely.

Kara opened her eyes again, and nodded with an actual smile.

"OK good, because I'll have a nervous breakdown if you don't tell me what the hell a Dramonicus!" Lena pleaded.

That got a true laugh out of Kara. "It's a Kryptonian animal. I'll explain in detail when we have more time. We still need to get out of here, like now. I've already wasted enough time." Kara said as she started bustling around again.

"It wasn't wasted, you can't control everything. Trust me, when it comes to panic attacks, they don't care where or how inconvenient the timing." Lena noted, as she grabbed the stuff she had collected and threw it to Kara to pack in the bag.

Right on cue, they heard a knock on the door.

"It's Maggie, good, we have to get out of here. We'll just hop in her car, and keep moving until we figure out where to go that won't us all killed." Kara decided.


	17. Chapter 17

***Hello everybody! Happy New Year to you all. I hope we all move forward with a better 2018 than 2017. I'm going to continue writing after I post this, but I figured I had a natural ending point with this chapter. Enjoy! Not much action, a little more fluffy, good vibes than the usual depressing stuff HAHA. What the hell, it's a new year right?! I didn't exactly proofread. But if you've been following my writing closely, you already know that I never have time to proofread. I'm the worst. OK, love you, BYE!- JAG***

The girls were packed up, and in Maggie's squad car in a matter of minutes. Maggie had borrowed her old partner's squad car to limit trace-ability. Maggie used a DEO provided device to scan Kara for any possible tracking devices. She was clean.

Upon brainstorming where they could go, Kara remembered some random people that had helped her during the original bombing. In pondering it further, she had spoken with Alex and Cat about them at the time. All of the citizens had been extensively debriefed and vetted in the days following the bombing. When the women got in the car, Kara had used a police issue encrypted cell to give Winn a call. Once she had obtained the names, addresses and phone numbers of the few best options for shelter. As much as she didn't want to put her friends and innocent civilians at risk, they had all come to the conclusion that this was the safest option for everyone involved. The calculated risk of seeking help from one of the proven good Samaritans was extremely minimal. She had some of the best statisticians in the world to see to that, thanks to Lena and Winn.

In the car, they circled the city in random routes to be sure they weren't being followed. Kara and Lena researched the civilians even further to narrow down who they should contact. The first two options, the girls who had originally brought Kara in the Catco, were out of the question. Liz was a student at a dorm, and the barista lived at home with her parents. Kara made a mental note to remind Ms. Grant to grant Liz a hefty "scholarship", and the barista open some doors for the barista for a comfortable position in Catco's media empire. The next in line on their list was the gentleman who had taken the lead immediately following the blast. He was the only other person from the bomb site that Kara even remembered. His presence was helpful, and soothing. In his debrief file that his name was Lucas Alexander. He was a single contractor, who had a decent loft in the Center City neighborhood of National City. That made sense to Kara, since he seems to live within walking distance to Noonan's. Or at least what used to be Noonan's. Plus, per his appearance and file, he seemed to be in good fitness. He obviously didn't mind taking a risk, since he organized the initial phase of the cover-up of her exposure with the other bombing victims. Maggie agreed that he was likely the best fit. Maggie made the call, just in case his phone records were able to be hacked.

 _"Hello?"_

"Hi, Mr. Alexander?"

 _"That's me.."_

"Hi, this is Detective Sanders, NCPD."

 _"Oh, uh...ok, what can I help you with?"_

"Yeah, sorry for the late hour. I was just going over some files at the station here, and I had a few time sensitive questions regarding a traffic incident a few months ago? It took place near your place of business, and we were hoping you remembered anything from that day that might have some bearing on a lawsuit. I wouldn't bother you this late, but the trial is first thing in the morning. Quite frankly, the city has nothing on the defendant, and we have reason to believe he's a real piece of work. We'd really prefer him off the streets. I was hoping you had some time free that we could chat? We'll come to you for convenience." Maggie lied to cover her tracks.

 _"Well, I mean, I don't recall anything about any traffic thing. But I am the assistant foreman at my site, so if I don't have your answers, I might be able to point you in the right direction. I'm home now, I got home late from our work site, so you don't have to worry about the late hour. I'm off rotation tomorrow, and I'm wide awake. Do you have my address?"_ Lucas asked.

"Yep, it looks like we have it right here under your driver's license info. Grove St. right?" Maggie confirmed.

 _"That's me! Just press my name at the gate, and I'll buzz you right in. I'll see you shortly?" He asked._

 _"_ Thank you SO much Mr. Alexander, you're a life saver! Yup, we'll be there in about 5 minutes, I'm right around the corner. Ok, thanks bye." Maggie really sold the lie. Kara couldn't help but think she must have been on her fair share of undercover ops.

"Alright, are you ladies ready? We're about to upend this dude's life for an undetermined amount of time. Hopefully he's cool." Maggie confirmed.

"Do we have a better choice?" Kara asked rhetorically.

Lena sighed in agreement, and held the medical ice pack Maggie brought for her to her face. The cold was really doing the trick for the swelling on her cheek from Kara's accidental hit. Kara ran her finger through her hair one last time, before putting it in a familiar ponytail, and slipping an NCPD cap on her head. She was wearing her replacement glasses frames from when she was in college, so nobody had seen them in quite some time. It was the most she could do to conceal her own identity. Lena on the other hand, they let her hair down. Every was used to seeing her in an uber-professional up-do. She had already wiped off most, if not all, of her makeup from the previous day. She looked, and felt like, she hadn't slept in a week, which was partly true. Maggie provided her with an NCPD windbreaker, and cap as well. Both of the women slapped DEO issue guns to their hips to give the appearance of police officers. Hopefully, it would be dark enough that, if anyone was paying attention, they easily pass for their disguises.

Maggie parked 3 blocks from Lucas' building. Standard safe distance for safe house practice in the department. The walk went without a hitch. Nobody took a second look at 3 female officers in casual, off duty street attire. With their duffel bags, they could easily have been coming from a gym or something.

Maggie hit the buzzer, and she opened the gate when she heard it open. Kara's heart was beating fast. Their were so many variable, and such risks. She hated putting innocent people in the line of fire. Part of her just wanted to fly to the other side of the world, and get away from everyone she loved. In reality, she knew that whoever is behind all of this wouldn't think twice about hurting her family and friends as blackmail to bring her back to the city.

By the time they got up to his loft, Kara was holding on to Lena's hand for dear life. She knew in her head that this man already knew her secret identity, but knowing it, and actually experiencing exposing herself to a stranger where two VERY different things. She wasn't used to having to be so open and vulnerable with her best friends, let alone someone she didn't even know. Maggie looked toward Kara one last time before knocking. Kara let out a shaky sigh, and nodded for Maggie to go ahead.

 _"Be right there!"_ Lucas yelled, and they heard rushed footsteps over to the door.

Lucas swung the door open slightly out of breath. "Sorry, I was straightening up the pigsty. I'm not used to company." He directed his words toward Maggie, as she was up front. He shook her hand in greeting, and opened the door further to grant them entry.

The second he noticed Kara and Lena with unexpected bags, he glanced up at them as they rushed passed the threshold. He closed the door slowly behind them, focusing on Kara the whole time. Once the door was closed he broke his stare, and locked and dead-bolted his door. This put Kara and Maggie on alert. Maggie reached for her weapon ever so slightly, until she saw him quickly turn around with shock on his face, as opposed to malice.

"Supergirl." Lucas gasped breathy. Like he had the wind knocked out of him.

Kara sucked in a quick inhale, and held it. She didn't know what to do or say. Maggie went to speak first.

"Mr. Alexander, sorry for the fib bu..." He wasn't paying her any mind, and in the middle of her apology, he rushed straight toward Kara, and wrapped his arms around her in a tight bear hug. Kara had been shocked at the movement, but his hug took her by surprise. Her hand to hand contact with Lena was broken, and she didn't know what to think or how to react at first.

"Thank god you're ok. They wouldn't tell us anything, and then there was the cover up on the news...I just..." Lucas let go of Kara and pushed him self slightly back to look at her face. His hands were still holding tightly onto her shoulders. His eyes examining her for any injuries. "We were all so worried after they took you out of there. You looked like you were in so much pain...and..." Lucas pulled her back toward him in another, gentler hug. This time, Kara accepted the hug, and wrapped her arms around him as well. She was touched by his caring demeanor, and sincerity. It's not every day she gets to be her full self around people. Only at home, or at the DEO. It was actually a lot more comforting than she ever felt possible. She was blindsided by the man's emotional reaction, and broke her facade. After everything she'd been through emotionally in the past 24 hours, her nerves and emotions were raw. Kara started crying into his shoulder, and held a bit tighter. He accepted the embrace, and held her tighter in return. When she let go after only a minute or so, she saw that he'd let a few tears go as well. They had been through a traumatic experience together. Yes, Kara's was infinitely more traumatic, but he had shown her true caring and kindness in those most just after the blast. It brought all those emotions back for her. None of this went how she'd expected. In retrospect, she had been so nervous, and worried about putting someone at risk, that she didn't even entertain the idea that this was a possibility.

"Thank you, so much, for that day." Kara forced out. "You'll never know how much it means to me to know you cared that much. You put my safety before your own, and you probably saved my life. I hope you know now a little bit of how it feels to be me, when I help people." She added, as she took her glasses off. She went to clean them out of habit, but let out a quick laugh, and threw them on his table. "I guess I don't need those."

They both let out a cathartic laugh. It wasn't entirely that funny, but it was a break from the intense emotions that had come on so suddenly. Lena and Maggie just glanced at each other, and gave an eyebrow raise. As if to say subliminally 'What the hell was that?'

"Oh! Sorry, Mr. Alexander, you met Detective Maggie Sawyer, and this is Lena Luthor. He shook Maggie's hand again, and stared in shock again as he shook the hand of THE Lena Luthor. Lena gave him warm, appreciative smile. He had saved her best friend after all. The smile crinkled her face though, and she immediately winced. Kara noticed, and super sped around Lucas to Lena's bag, and grabbed the ice pack. She slowed down, and held it gently to Lena's face. As Lena reached up to hold in place, Kara realized the cold had waned. It was mostly soft and lukewarm. Kara lifted her focus to Lucas once again...

"Do you have a freezer or something? This ice pack has lost it's luster. She's gotten roughed up a bit in the last couple of days." Kara explained, the guilt once again creeping through her mind and onto her face.

"Lucas, please, Mr. Alexander was my father. I have one better for you. I have some of the ice packs we used at the site. We see a lot of bumps and bruises over there. Comes with the territory." He stated as he rushed over to his freezer. He pulled out a soft, but ice cold bag. He played with it until it was the appropriate shape for Lena's face. Then he opened a cabinet and grabbed what looked like a soft, thin rubbery material. He placed it over the ice pack, and handed it to Lena.

"This is a little more comfortable that that piece of crap first aid kit ice pack." Lucas mentioned, but then looked guilty. "No offense." He apologized for the criticism.

"None taken, believe me. This one is SO much nicer. Thank you very much Lucas." Lena asserted.

"Kara, why don't you take Lena over to the couch to relax. It looks like her aches and pains are setting in. I'll fill Lucas here in on our situation." Maggie suggested. She turned towards him. "Do you have an actual first aid kit here somewhere? Lena has some decent lacerations that need cleaning and proper bandaging."

Lucas noticed the slightly bloody towels wrapped haphazardly around Lena's hands from the bar fight.

"Oh my god, yes! Absolutely! Supergirl, did you want me to take care of the first aid, or do you got it?" Lucas asked as he jogged over to his cabinet once again, and grabbed a decently sized first aid kit. He handed it over to Kara as he met them at the living room couch.

"I can handle it, thanks Lucas." Kara smiled, and accepted the kit once Lena was seated comfortably. "I'll try to keep the blood off the furniture. I make no promises."

Lucas gave a saddened smile. "Don't worry about any of that. It's all hand-me-down shit anyway. I think that couch was my Aunt Rose's."

Kara and Lena gave a quick laugh.

"Do you need anything else before I go talk to the Detective?"

"No thanks, I'll take it from here." Kara affirmed.

"OK Supergirl, Lena, make yourselves at home. Your welcome to anything I've got. My house is your house.' He nodded.

"Kara."

Lucas turned back around. "What?"

"My name is Kara, my real name. I figured you deserve to know by now. After everything you've done." Kara gave a side smile, and immediately broke eye contact. She was feeling a little nervous still regarding the intensity of the situation.

"Kara. Thank you." He stated quietly, as he turned back toward Maggie to get the details of what was going on.


	18. Chapter 18

"I LITERALLY WANT TO MURDER WHOEVER IS BEHIND THIS! Straight up torture, blood, pain, screaming, cold-blooded murder!" Alex was vigorously pacing back and forth. Her hands were in white knuckled fists, and a trickle of blood drying on her right hand from where she had punched the wall in frustration.

"How!? How could someone do something like this? How sick..." Alex growled again. J'onn was letting her vent. They had just tag-teamed the yellow-hued alien from the bar attack for upwards of 5 hours. They'd tried every trick in the book. The female alien, Bee, was of a typically peaceful species hailing from a forgettable planet out toward Libra constellation. Nowhere near Krypton, and in no way related to any beef wars from anywhere, let alone Kara's home planet. The likelihood that the unfortunate couple had crossed paths with any of the criminals in Fort Rozz was highly unlikely.

In the entirety of Bee's interrogation, her story had checked out, and stayed consistent. Once they were all but certain that she was telling the truth, they got all of the information from her that they could. She dictated everything she knew about the initiation of the set up, through to the attack itself on Kara. It was somewhat slow going, as Bee was quite distraught, what with the death of her husband. They allotted her plenty of breaks due to her tears, and terrified trembling. Eventually, they let up, sent her to the Medbay to get a relaxant prescribed. She was currently sleeping in the Medbay peacefully.

"Alex, we've gotten everything out of her that we can right now. Lillian isn't talking any more than she already has. It's 4 a.m. Why don't you head out for some sleep? We need you on your A game for the next break. And...Kara needs you with your full faculties right now. Do you know where they eventually landed last night? So to speak." J'onn asked.

"Maggie and Kara both texted me that they were somewhere obscure, and secure for the short term. Vasquez is outside in her personal vehicle, along with Agent Vaitai. Maggie said she used an old partner's undercover service vehicle. She also said she's on constant video chat with our agents outside with a burner cell. Kara and Lena are with them. I'm gonna get the address for Agent Vaitai before I leave here, and give it to you only. Then, I'll be radio silent." She took a deep breath, and rubbed her throbbing forehead. "I just wish this Bee had something more. A vague description of 'tall, white, male in casual clothing' doesn't really help our search. It describes roughly 30 percent of the city."

"I'm with you on that, but we'll keep looking. I've got bunk set up in my office for now. Just in case any developments arise. You know where to find me. If you decide to pop off radio silence for any reason, just be sure to head on the road, or to your apartment first. We don't need to be taking any chances with your sister's location." He reminded.

"Yes, I'm painfully aware." Alex breathed out.

"Godspeed. And try not to worry. We'll figure this out. We always do. We've even set Agent Schott up with a bunk as well. He refuses to leave, he wants to help around the clock." J'onn mentioned.

"That's sweet of him..." Alex lifted one eyebrow at her boss, "What makes me think that also might have something to do with the fact that these people could be targeting Kara's friends?"

"Oh, without a doubt." J'onn lifted his lips into a sly half-smile, and Alex chuckled for the first time in what felt like a week. It was a beautiful sound to J'onn's ears, and he took her into a light hug. "Now get out of here Danvers, before I kick you out."

Alex turned to go, but couldn't resist calling over her shoulder, "I'd like to see you try Old Man!"

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG

Alex pulled into the Catco building parking garage at about 5:15 a.m., and headed up to the 7th floor to park. She walked up to the executive elevator and stood for about 30 seconds before it opened, revealing Big John the security guard. She had set up this meet point with Cat the previous day, as Cat was helping them with just a coupe of security provisions. Alex stepped into the elevator. It had no cameras, and was on a private server for elevator controls. John had a change of clothes for Alex, and a new set of car keys. The company had a couple of extra secure cars that were registered under aliases. They were kept handy in case of a security threat to Miss Grant, and they needed a quick getaway without tipping off the press. John turned around as Alex got changed quickly. Once she was ready, he hit the 24th floor button, and they took the quick ride up to one of the main office floors. She was not surprised to see employees already milling around. It was the print media floor, so reporters who frequented the overnight circuit were cleaning up for the night to go home. There were also formatters and layout specialists coming in to process everything the reporters had left for them overnight. It was the perfect time for Alex to slip in and out unnoticed. John lead her immediately to the left against the wall, where he stopped, he directed her by pointing to the main elevator. They had avoided the security cameras catching them getting off the elevator, and she was in the clear.

5 minutes later, Alex was in a modest, 2009 Honda Civic with tinted windows. It was probably the most popular car of every 'Bro-That-Thought-He-Was-All-That' in her college graduating class. She shuddered, but at the same time, couldn't help feeling like she was kind of cool getting behind the wheel. She hated herself, but then felt exhilarated at the same time.

15 minutes later, Alex parked at a 24 hr Wal-Mart. Wearing a simple National City baseball cap, and sunglasses, Alex stepped out of the car, and took the 10 minute walk down the street and around the corner to the address she'd written down. When she knocked on the door, it was answered quickly by a fairly large, but attractive man in pajamas. She walked in like she owned the place, grabbed the door handle from him, and quickly closed and locked the door behind her.

"Lucas?" She asked as a secondary thought, and took off her hat and glasses.

"Yup" He yawned, and held out his hand.

"Sorry, I'm Agent Danvers. Primary security officer assigned to Supergirl's case." She realized she'd been rude, and held her hand out for a quick shake. She immediately swung back around to see Maggie coming up to her for a hug.

"Good morning babe." Maggie went to put her arms around Alex, who panicked a bit.

"Officer! What...but..." Alex had been putting up this professional exterior cover for Lucas. Maggie just rolled her eyes at her love.

"Alex, he knows who you are. For god's sake, he knows Kara's identity, he knows Lena, me, and that there are two more agents outside. We're commandeering his house, and he probably saved your sister's life last week. Let it go for right now. Plus, good luck getting Kara to keep from saying your name or referencing you for an entire night." Maggie had her hands gently on her girlfriend's arms to try and soothe her. She realizes her girlfriend has probably been incredibly stressed, on edge, and exhausted.

Alex closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. She didn't have the energy to argue right then. She exhaled, as she leaned into her girlfriend's embrace on the second try. Lucas was already halfway back to his bedroom to head back to bed.

"I'll apologize to him again later." Alex mumbled in Maggie's ear, as her eyes were closed, and her head rested on her shoulder. "How's Kara?"

"She's fine babe. Her and Lena are passed out in Luke's spare bedroom. Lena went to bed not long after we got here, with her plethora of ice packs and pain meds. I just got Kara to go lay down a couple hours ago. I just checked on them when I got your text that you were on your way. She's snoring away. It's nice to finally see her relax. She was in a pretty bad way when I got to Lena's last night." Maggie gave Alex the run down, as she followed the agent to the spare room to see her sister for herself. Kara didn't even wake when she quietly opened the door. Alex was surprised, Kara was normally a light sleeper. Everything considered, Alex knew she had to be so tired. Kara had one hand lightly and protectively over Lena's shoulder. Alex knew that if she got closer, she'd see the drool on Kara's pillow. She smiled, now that she finally saw her sister was actually safe and sound. She closed the door as quietly as possible, and let Maggie basically pull her over to the couch in the apartment's modest living room. It was made up with a pillow, and a couple blankets. 'Maggie', Alex thought, as she shook her head at her girlfriend's foresight.

"I've still got a good couple hours left in my tank Danvers. Lay down, that's an order. I'll give you a foot massage, and keep your guys downstairs company until Kara or Lucas wake up. They were up late. He was a little excited to have Supergirl at his 'lowly little' apartment. I figured it would be a good thing to have her distracted and answering his questions, rather than overthinking things again." Maggie slipped.

"Again? What do you mean again?" Alex sat up straight, and put on her concerned-big-sister voice. Maggie put her hand on Alex's chest, and pushed her girlfriend lightly back down to a reclined position.

"Kara was pretty stressed when I went to pick up her a Lena. I didn't get to talk to Lena about it alone, but I've been a cop long enough to recognize the signs of a panic attack. I didn't say anything to Kara.I didn't want to..."

"Embarrass her?" Alex finished. Maggie nodded. "Yeah, she doesn't like being that vulnerable. As you saw I'm sure at Cat's. But at least that time period she can bury, since she was out of it. When she used to have regular panic attacks, when she first came to live with us, she'd hide it as much as she could. Every couple of days it would all come out at once. It was usually at night while she was trying to sleep, or at school when her senses and social anxiety overwhelmed her. I was the only one that could calm her during those times. For the most part, she wouldn't even remember having them, or what triggered them. That'll give you an idea of what she was dealing with at the time." Alex explained quietly. The last thing she wanted would be for Kara to overhear her telling Maggie that. "I'm happy Lena was able to calm her down. I'm surprised, but then not at the same time. The way Lena was able to get through to Kara at Cat's while I was gone seemed like they have something special. Kara needs a friend like her." Alex went on with her eyes closed, as Maggie was rubbing her feet.

Eventually, Alex drifted off in the middle of a sentence. Maggie silently chuckled to herself, but didn't stop rubbing her girlfriend's feet and legs. It was soothing to her to have that physical contact with Alex after all the terrifying events of late. She noticed Alex's one hand had bloody knuckles. Maggie wasn't surprised, with their lack of info, her girl must be going crazy with frustration. Maggie sat thinking about the clues they had available, or should she say what they've not yet been able to find in their case. She was worried. They had all thrown all of their resources at this for the past week, and gotten nowhere fast. It wasn't Cadmus. Lillian Luthor was coming up clean. Both would-be assassins were acting under duress. Everyone was working around the clock, and with nothing to show for it.

What were they missing?


	19. Chapter 19

_Hi guys! JAG here! This one is a mix of everything! Mostly comedy. A little but of Arrowverse crossover, but for a pretty specific reason. I wanted to get some of these characters together on Supergirl, because I want to see the funtimes interaction, and badassitude of keyboard wizards. I don't own Supergirl. Duh. Enjoy the fun!_

 **Guest Player 1: Her tracker was damaged when she entered the DEO. It looks like they have a new backwards short-circuit detention field. She's not at any of her associates known addresses. All of their vehicles are accounted for. She's underground**.

 **Guest Player 2: Your man has checked the full list.**

 **Guest Player 1:** **Yes. We're still dive searching a outgoing web pattern.**

 **Guest Player 2: You checked the cop's squad car?**

 **Guest Player 1: Both squad and personal still sitting at the station. They've been handled, just in case.**

 **Guest Player 2: Noted, keep the search going. You know what to do. Don't take too long. I don't feel like finding a new associate to take care of this for me. You've done perfectly so far. Big brother has all the medicine he needs in here for now, but patience is a fickle and fleeting thing.**

 **[Guest Player 2 has signed off: Time 0556]**

 ***click*** The laptop clicked shut, effectively ending the chat session.

Web RPGs have been a new convenient medium for criminals around National City to communicate with contacts all are the world without being tracked. The man assigned to tracking Supergirl doesn't even like that stupid game. Violence isn't his thing. He's just a simple guy, who just happened to have been taught the ropes in dark web search action from his older brother at a young age. Now look where that got his brother…and now ultimately, him.

He didn't have long to figure out the next move. He was up against one of the most brilliant, yet dangerous, psychopaths alive. He was drowning, in way under his head. His guy on the ground was just some hired hand. The dumbass didn't even know who he was being paid to try and track. He would just get the address, and confirm whether certain cars were there or not. In the one instance, he planted a couple cars bombs, but he wasn't the type to ask questions or care, as long as he got paid.

The Middle Man just sighed, put his computer back into his bag, and started about his day. The weight of his task lay heavily on his mind every second of every day since he got that godforsaken message. How could he do this? He can't. But he has to do SOMETHING! He can't stall, or gamble with his brother's life. His brother was all he had growing up. The only reason his brother got involved with the people responsible for his incarceration in the first place was to take care of him after their parents were killed. One day, he just needed one day to figure out his next move.

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"Son of a BITCH! Why didn't I get this!?" Winn exclaimed in the early hours of the morning. It was early, before most of the Control Room was in for shift. After he had gotten some sleep, Winn quadruple checked their security scans for anything weird. Now that his panic, adrenaline, caffeine-fueled haze had been slept off, he noticed that he'd only been checking security glitches for the dates up through the attack. He didn't think to check through to-date. Finally, he caught a break! A blip so small, that he's impressed with himself for catching it at all. A tiny tracker, with a tiny frequency, with an unidentifiable IP address (by his skill set). It was blown by the new automatic non-firewall approved communication device short circuit security grid they installed. He bet Kara didn't even feel the small charge underneath her skin. But from all of their tests on the system, the actual tech itself should be intact.

"Director. DIRECTOR!?" Winn yelled down the hall, as he ran toward J'onn's office.

"Schott! I can hear you! No need to shout. What's the fire?" J'onn came around the corner to meet Winn mid-stride, and caught his arms to keep the smaller man balanced.

"She was tracked!" Winn blurted out, completely out of breath from exertion and excitement. J'onn held his arms, and just read his mind for the details. It would be quicker, and easier to follow.

"Are you…?" Winn realized.

"Already done. I did you a favor, I think." J'onn gave him a knowing look, and swiftly passed right by him on the way back to the Control Room.

"Probably accurate." Winn admitted as he raced after J'onn.

"So, do we know anything else? What it was? An IP address?" J'onn asked.

"Not yet sir, I just found it. But from the looks at the wavelength range, and signal, it looks to be black market, which always…ALWAYS leads to dark web. I mean…unless the owner is the stupidest black market hacker crook in the world. I would need to see the device itself to even have a chance, but dark web stuff isn't really a forte of mine. I was always more up and up IT. New crazy tech, I can handle. That IS one of my strengths, but I'm not sure I'd be able to find an IP or location from something this small and…I mean…even if it was still transmitting I'm not sure if I coul…"

"Agent Schott!"

"Yes, right, I think we need help on this one. We could ask Lena, but I'm not sure if you'd have wanted her to risk leaving protective custody right now?" Winn pondered.

"No. She's too close to this, and she's already gotten hurt. I don't want to risk to many communications back and forth between us and them. Especially now that we know Supergirl was being traced. We'll need them to do another sweep for bugs and tracers, but that's the extent of the message with which I'm willing to try and contact them. Even then, I'll have to use my telepathy. I have the address that Alex wrote down, I'll fly high enough so that I don't give away their location, and try to get through to Alex that way. In the meantime, figure out a way for us to get that tracker, and trace the IP address from our log. There has to be a way to do it, or else why would we have installed that money sucker of a security feature?" J'onn shifted into his Martian form in order to go deliver the psychic message to Alex. He left Winn in the dust, pondering their next move.

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"JESUS CHRIST! HOLY SHIT!" Alex jumped from her sleeping position the couch, and fell, nongraceful, onto the floor of Lucas' apartment.

Kara flinched and covered her ears, as did Lena. Maggie just whipped her tired head around, and started immediately toward her girlfriend. Kara followed at her heels, and Lena slowly stood up to follow, before grunting a soft 'nope' and sitting back down. Her body was uber-stiff that morning.

They all heard Lucas curse loudly, and bangs from his shower just down the hall. He had been startled by all the yelling.

"Goddammit J'onn! What the hell!?...You deserved it…What?...What!?...WHAT!? OK, thanks for getting us the info safely, I appreciate the extra effort. Yes, I'm speaking outloud. YES I know I don't have to! OK, just let us know our next move, we'll take care of our end until we hear back. WAIT! Real quick! Kara!" Alex whipped her head toward Kara urgently, who was already at attention. "The guy with the arrow's nerd girl. The weird one you talked about that helped with the Dominators!?"

"Feli…ciiiiiiity?"

"YES! Last name?"

"Don't remember…um…"

"We need her help NOW!"

Kara sped over to her bag, and in less than a second was at the window with a small device.

"I'll throw it to J'onn. It's the portal opener thing to Earth 1. Tell him to have Barry find her."

J'onn had obviously already heard her telepathically. Kara threw the device high above the skyscrapers, where J'onn was hovering. He flew toward it a grabbed it, before unceremoniously leaving and breaking his connection with Alex without a good-bye.

"Rude! Hate it when he does that!" Alex shook her head, as if to get rid of any non-existent J'onn remnants.

"WHAT!? WHAT IS IT!? IS SOMEBODY HURT!?" Lucas lumbered into the living room barely covered, trying to get his towel on, but with soap and shampoo suds all in his eyes. He tripped on the throw rug trying to rush in, and almost faceplanted. Luckily Kara sped and caught him really quick. She helped him right himself, then realized how mostly naked, and soaking wet he was. She sped right back to where the other women stood. They were more than amused, but tried not to laugh at the unfortunate man's situation. Maggie was the one to break, not surprisingly. Once she went, the rest of the women fell in a domino effect of laughter.

"Yeeeeeaahhhhhhh, I'm gonna just…assume you're all…fine-hey I'm gonna go back into the shower." Lucas backed out slowly as he spoke, but then ran back into the bathroom once he was out of view.

"Lucky!" Alex teased Kara.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we were all wishing we had superspeed right about then. Even me!" Maggie laughed. She was still cracking up. Kara was still laughing along with the others, but had then started hitting her sister with a pillow.

"You always have to say something! Can never just let it lie!" Kara chided jokingly.

"I mean, we were all thinking it Kara" Lena chimed in.

"Et tu Brute!?" Kara whipped back. "That's not fair, I can't hit an injured woman with this pillow."

Lena shrugged, unapologetically.

Alex shook off her laughter, and started to explain the details of what J'onn had just contacted them about. Lena listened carefully about trying to find the tracker in Kara's body, with only using what they had available.

"Hey guys…um…x-ray vision, remember?" Kara reminded. She scanned what she could of her body, but didn't see any foreign materials.

"Nothin'." Kara shrugged.

"Great, and with your super steel skin, and this thing being shorted with no frequency…this should be SUPER easy to find." Lena groaned sarcastically, as she waved Kara over so that her friend could give her an idea of exactly what parts of Kara's head and neck she couldn't x-ray on her own. Alex followed close behind to help as much as she could, being pretty much an expert on Kara's alien physiology.

"You girls have fun, I'm tapping out. I'm exhausted, and everybody is awake now." Maggie walked over and handed Alex the live feed tablet of the DEO agents outside of the apartment. "Love you." She snuck a kiss from her girlfriend.

"Love you too. We're good here for now. PLEASE get some sleep." Alex urged Maggie.

"Trust me, I'm out in less than 5 minutes I bet."

Alex was already back to checking Kara's neck for any lumps, or foreign bodies.

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"Um…whoa…that…was…AWESOME! I mean, I've not interspace travel teleportation, but interdimensional travel! WOOO!" Winn was stunned, spinning slowly, he took in his surroundings.

"Um…excuse us. If you're finished? Who the hell are you? And HOW did you get that device!?" Barry and Cisco just happened to be at the STAR LABS control desk when they got the incoming signal. They had assumed it was to be Kara coming through, so they were surprised to see Winn pop up in front of them.

Winn spun around to meet 2 sets of confused eyes. Until Barry flickered some recognition.

"Oh…you're…"

"Winn, Sch..Schott. DEO, Earth…um…something. The one with Kara Danvers. You know Kara Danvers…right…? I'm on the Earth 1?" Winn stammered as Barry sped over to him in a blast of red lightning.

"Yeah, I remember you. What are you doing?! Is Kara alright!? Is she hurt? Why didn't she come herself?!" Barry threw questions at Winn almost as fast as he could run.

"Whoa. Whoa. She's OK. Well, she's not hurt. I don't think. Well, physically, she is unharmed." Winn settled down.

"So…?"

"RIGHT! Um, we need a woman's services. I mean…not like…services…but services. WE NEED TECH HELP!" Winn finally got out. He was so intimidated but Barry's and Cisco's eyes on only him.

"I can help Kara!" Cisco's eyes lit up at the chance to go back and see Supergirl again. Her powers were awesome.

"Cisco, um…do you think maybe we're going through something pretty damn important here to send you off as tech support? We need you here. BADLY." Barry turned back to Winn. "You're talking about Felicity Smoak."

"YES! Kara said Felicity. I think. She wasn't sure of her name….oh….don't tell Felicity that I think." Winn backtracked.

"OMG, he's like a male Felicity." Barry noted.

"HEY!? Wait…was that a good or a bad?" Winn asked, confused.

"Good…but…awkward? I guess? Give me a second." Barry flashed away with a gust of wind. Then a gush of wind back 2 seconds later again. "Wait, how long? And what type of job is this in reference to? And how dangerous?"

"Um," Winn counted the answers off on his fingers as he stated them to Barry… "Not too long? Uh, I need her help identifying a weird, shorted out, off marker tracker, and reverse track the original signal recorded. Danger level…I'd estimate, like, a…3-6 out of 10? Nobody knows her there, so she shouldn't be on anyone's radar. And she'll be probably only at our secure DEO facility, or Kara's safehouse…wherever that is. I don't even know. So…mostly secure?"

Barry nodded, and whooshed away again. He left Winn and Cisco there staring awkwardly at each other.

"So…Supergirl…You guys are like, friends?"

"Yup. Best friends. Plutonic." Winn added.

"Friend Zone."

"Yeah. Big time. Like…not even a shot."

"Sucks."

"Yeah. But you know, hot alien girlfriend, who's got one? This guy." Winn switched topic to Lyra.

"Ooo! I wish we had aliens here. Non-Dominator aliens. Like, chick aliens." Cisco stared off into space, as Winn walked over to the desk to show a picture of Lyra to him.

"Oh my God! That's crazy!" Cisco stared in awe, even just seeing another female alien, let alone an attractive one. "I mean, she looks really nice. And…she likes…you?"

"Excuse me!" Winn took his phone right back. "I happen to be a pretty decent catch! I CREATED Supergirl's suit!"

"Holy crap that was YOU!" Cisco stood up immediately. "Can I just…" He didn't even finish his sentence, and started shaking Winn's hand. "Excellent work! I made The Flash suit." He nodded with pride, as Winn gave him a fist pump in solidarity.

There was a swift rush of wind, blowing some papers around. Barry and Felicity skidded to a stop, with a little yelp from Felicity. She put her glasses on as she steadied herself.

"Oh! Cisco! Hi! Cait not here? Is this the guy?" Felicity rambled.

"Oh my god, nerds, all of you. Cisco, hook Felicity up with a portal thing. She'll be going somewhere other than Winn, so I want her to have her own just in case. Also, that way, I'll have her last known address just in case you all need me." Barry quickly blurted out. "I have to go figure stuff out on this end. Felicity, Cisco, you know how to reach me. Winn, nice to see you again." Barry flashed out again.

"So, shall we?" Felicity asked Winn.

"OK, so Hi, first of all. I'm Kara's main tech and analysis support dude. But the tech we're 'hopefully' gonna be looking at shortly has a new frequency signature, and I can't backtrack the IP. Someone is after her, they had been tracking her, but it was shorted by our security tech. I don't know dark web stuff. I hope you know dark web stuff." Winn pleaded.

"Are you kidding! I am the MASTER or dark web… _i am the master of dark web stuff_." Felicity switched to a not so sneaky whisper way too long after the fact.

"OK, thank god! I am great with tech stuff, and so is Lena Luthor. Between me and her, we should have than avenue covered. But I can't get to where they are, and be able to easily get back to the DEO. We're gonna have to rely on you and Lena for this one. She can help you with our world tech, and you can help us on Kara's end trying to track the guy who is after her. He's evil." Winn's tone changed on a dime. "I mean, he's pure evil Felicity. What he's done to Kara already… We need to get him. Justice HAS to put him in his place on this one. Can you help us?" He asked seriously.

"Of course, I'll do everything I can. So, I assume I'm going to where Kara is?"

"Yes, we need to find the chip that was on her. You and Lena analyze it, get as much info you can, then we have a home base set up for you somewhere other than the DEO. A place with friends, and mainframe power. Ask Kara for the address for the Catco building when you and Lena are done with the chip. Here is a tool that will work with Kara's skin to remove the tracker once you find it. Just…leave the box closed until you need it. It makes Kara's cells like…die." Winn handed her a small lead box with a kryptonite lined scalpel, and kryptonite tipped tweezers just in case.

"Oh boy, OK, at least I've patched up enough wounds at this point that tiny chip extraction…sure no problem. Hey, Cisco, helpful would be a metal detector wand? You know, even though the chip is most likely nanotech and also most likely not metal. But you know…just to be prepared." Felicity smiled awkwardly. She was definitely nervous. This was a sticky situation, with limited communication, and cryptic stuff.

"Here you go. And here is a replica of Winn and Kara's portal. I set it to the right parameters, so it only goes to and from our Earths. Literally one button to hit to open. Right here you can input the Earth coordinates you need. It's currently set to the address Winn gave me for Kara. Here is the one for the DEO, where Winn is going. But DON'T try to go from Kara to Winn on this! It WILL take you to the DEO coordinates on OUR Earth. You have to come back here first. STAR Labs coordinates automatically populate when you turn it off and on again. Got it?" Cisco insisted.

"Got it. I am not one to stray from direction from creators of interdimensional technology." Felicity nodded.

"Alright good. Both of you, god speed. Live long and prosper." Cisco waved.

They turned both of their portals on.

Winn jumped "GERONMINO!"

Felicity rolled her eyes at the Matt Smith reference. "Children." She jumped through "ALONSYYYYYYYY!"


	20. Chapter 20

"GREAT MERCIFUL ZEUS!...that was weird." Felicity tumbled out of the interdimensional portal an into Lucas' kitchen. She landed not-so-gracefully, but on her feet, on top of his's kitchen table.

Kara speed over and grabbed Felicity, placing her safely on the ground.

"Holy shit, you almost gave me a friggin heart attack!" Alex breathed out to Felicity, as she placed her gun back into her holster.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you'd be expecting me. But, now that think about it, it would probably still be a little jarring to suddenly have a portal thing and then me on the table. OK, um, I'm Felicity Smoak, technical genius, queen of the web, interdimensional hired help, at your service!" Felicity gave Kara a hand shake, but Kara pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you for coming, I know it was short notice, and an inconvenience. I…we…appreciate it so much." Kara insisted, breaking the hug. "This is my sister Alex Danvers, my good friend Lena Luthor, and over there is Lucas Alexander. He is putting us up in his lovely apartment here for a little bit, until my…situation is under control."

Felicity shook all of their hands politely. Lucas just staring, mouth agape, at what had just transpired in front of his eyes.

"You just…there was a thing…and…" Lucas couldn't form a proper sentence. Kara had already explained the quick ins and outs of the different Earths to Alex and Lena while Lucas was in the shower, but forgot to fill him in on those specifics.

"Why don't I fill you in on some things while Felicity gets started with the thing?" Alex led Lucas over to the couch, while the other girls sat Kara down at the table, in order to find the tracker. Lena and Alex had failed thus far.

"OK, so I'm kind of an expert in this nano-slash-micro tech stuff. Trust me, if it's there, I'll find it. Oh…no offense to you guys…I mean…I just…I happen to have developed a need to create and understand tiny human body things recently." Felicity rambled.

"None taken. I own the biggest technological and scientific innovation company in the country, and I can't find it. So be my guest." Lena assured.

"Cool, OK, I'm going to start with the basics, just to rule out the obvious." Felicity pulled out the metal detector, and waved it over Kara's head, neck and back. She got nothing, as expected.

"Well, that was a waste of time. Alright, where would I put a secret tracker on an invulnerable alien…" Felicity stood back for a second, mumbling slightly to herself.

"Oh, when it was placed on or in me, it likely was when I was initially attacked. I had so many open wounds, cuts, abrasions…it was…kind of prime conditions to take advantage and get something in me subcutaneously. It was so chaotic, it could have been anyone at any time." Kara explained to Felicity, almost robotically. It was clear she was emotionally dissociating temporarily from the incident.

"Got it, I won't ask details if you don't wanna talk about it. I think I have enough info to help you. No worries. OK?" Felicity stated gently. Kara nodded, and took a short shaky breath to steady herself. She didn't like the idea of someone having taken advantage of her when she was disabled. Especially, when they put something in her body. She was really starting to get weirded out.

"Can I touch you? I'll need to try and feel my way around where I would put a tracker, and what type could have been used. Unfortunately, we come from different Earths…sooooo some of the tech that we have you don't…and vice versa." Felicity was almost talking to herself, as she carefully prodded certain areas on Kara's neck and back. Since she had worked with the Atom, Ray Palmer, and her friend Curtis, she was very well versed in anatomy in regards to tech.

"This is awkward. Um…can we talk about something or something?" Kara pleaded with the girls and Lucas.

"Um…so…are you ladies comfortable in the apartment? Like sleeping arrangements and stuff? Sorry you saw me kind of naked, I'm not used to having people here. Let alone women. But uh…" Lucas struggled after the awkward encounter from earlier.

Alex and Lena started giggling, and Kara was trying to hold it in. Felicity just looked a little confused, but continued her prodding.

"Come on, gimme a break guys…" Lucas joked, but started laughing himself as Kara started to break. Her laugh infectious, breaking her tension about thinking of the bombing.

"Oh wait! Felicity didn't get to see the show! You should do a repeat!" Lena suggested through her laughs.

"Oooo there was a show? Maybe when I find this thing, that will be Kara's reward for getting fingered for hours." Felicity joked, not realizing her inappropriate wordplay until after she said it. "OH my god! I mean us poking her everywhere!" That didn't help.

At this point Lena was doubled over. Kara couldn't help but crack up. Seeing her friend and her sister lightening their mood was nice after everything that had happened. She had to hold back tears thinking about everything they'd all gone through so far. Now that they have a lead, they have hope. She has hope…that this might be over soon. She knew, of course, that she'd have to go through the residual stuff. She was still having the nightmares, she wound up sleeping just long enough for the nightmares to start, then woke herself up with a jolt. Luckily, Lena's super ibuprofen and muscle relaxer she took had her in a deep enough sleep to miss the sudden movement.

Alex noticed Kara getting lost in thought, and wasn't sure if she should call her out on it to bring her back to the present. Kara didn't look in distress. Just distant. She was saved by the Felicity.

"YES!" Felicity fist pumped as she found something familiar.

"WHAT!?" Kara asked startled, as she froze.

"I think I feel something familiar. My friend has a few chips recently, and unless you know what to look for, it's pretty much impossible to tell it's there. Mine are a lot easier, much bigger and apparent, but in general, a lot of these bio-chips have the same feel. Just from feel, I can tell you it doesn't actually seem too high tech…" Felicity prodded a specific area just behind Kara's hair, at the beginning of her hair line at the base of her skull. "It was definitely placed quickly, and not very carefully. That's both good AND bad." She lamented.

"Why, what's wrong?" Alex asked worried, as she immediately went over to Felicity, and Felicity placed Alex's fingers where she was feeling.

"Well, I'm about 90% sure that this is our thing. But I'm gonna have to get it out to see if my theories are correct. If it's a different type, then my algorithms might be off for the backwards track."

"You can do all that? Find the dude from a broken chip?" Lucas asked, looking impressed, and curious.

"I can do anything…kind of…I hope. But Kara, this placement is really tricky, and probably gonna be painful to extract. The reason you didn't notice it is because it's sitting on a nerve and blocking that specific pain to your brain. It's right in your muscle there. You feel where I'm pressing?" Felicity demonstrated.

"Not really. That's weird." Kara answered shortly.

"Oh this sucks." Alex said, as she inspected Kara further. "Felicity is right. This was inserted fast and dirty. This guy wasn't an expert. What do you bet he was another pawn? I'm thinking that, by the way this looks, we are looking at another middle man." Alex stood up to address all of them. If we can figure out who got this in you, maybe from the video we have, then we've got a really good lead. The only issue is, the video stops once the bomb goes off. All we have is our original list of patrons at Noonans.

"We also have to explore the possibility of an inside job. Let's face it Alex, limited people had access to me while I was exposed. I think tried to follow the dark web lead that Winn has is the most accurate way to go. It seems like Felicity is more than capable." Kara suggested. "I just…I don't want to assume, get the wrong guy, and possibly bring someone else into this mess. I mean, we've already brought Felicity into it."

"Don't worry Kara, I'll find this crackerjack hacker. You just need to know where to look. And I'm quite familiar with all of those dirty, dark little nooks and crannies of the dark web world…." Felicity noticed her intensity, and put on an innocent smile. "I mean, it's always in the name of the good guy…usually…depending on your opinion of 'good guy'…ha."

"Relax Felicity, we called you because Barry had once said you were the best. We trust you." Kara assured.

"But you barely even know me…"

"I just gave you free reign on poking and prodding me wherever you wanted. I think we've become close friends at this point, haha." Kara laughed and grabbed onto Felicity's hand gently for reassurance.

"Cool…I'm friends with an alien. This is SO COOL! Oh! Sorry, we don't really have aliens on Earth 1. I mean…except that once…but you were there and it was awesome. I'll shut up now." Felicity made the 'zip your lips' motion. As Kara just laughed and smiled.

"I'm flattered, but it's just my biology."

"AND your heroic need to help people all the time…" Lena reminded.

"AND you annoying sense of truth, justice, and the American way, that always makes you put yourself in danger recklessly, making me have panic attacks every 4 seconds." Alex chimed in.

"AND your constantly putting yourself between danger and the people of National City, selflessly, and without reservation." Lucas added sweetly.

Kara blushed, and put her hand over her face. "Guys…seriously? Stoooop."

"Hey. Don't sell yourself short. There is a reason Cat named you Supergirl, because you're super." Lucas said with a smile.

"Awwww….that was adorable. But seriously cheesy…I'm sorry dude haha." Alex teased.

"You are literally the worst." Lucas joked, and punched Alex lightly in the arm. She got him back.

Kara was using the distraction to clear her mind for what she knew was about to follow. More pain.

Felicity quietly explained to Kara how she was going to have to cut out the tracker. She would use Alex's help, since she was more of a medical professional. But Felicity felt safer doing the actual extraction herself. She'd done this more numerous times between Oliver, Diggle, and admittedly, herself on occasion. She had a tendency to implant little trackers under her skin when they went on tricky missions…just in case.

"It's been a few hours since I got up. I think I should go wake up Maggie to help you during the actual procedure Kara. Is that OK? I know you have Lena, but another hand to hold might help." Alex suggested.

"It's fine, let her sleep. I'll be fine." Kara said flatly. Again, she distanced herself emotional from what was about to happen. Fear, pain, those were human problems. She was a hero, a Kryptonian. She was the one to take the hit for the good of humanity. She had to put Kara Danvers into a little lock box somewhere in the back of her brain for now. For the time being, she had decided that she was Kara Zor-EL. Last daughter of the House of El. Protector of Earth. The hero of National City. This stupid chip thing, no big deal.

"OK, so how are we going to do this. I'll have to get to the DEO and get some supplies that can allow us to perform surgery on Kara. It's too dangerous for her to go out. We need special…" Alex was interrupted by Felicity.

"Wait! Winn gave me things. Let me show Alex over there, cause he said it's bad for you Kara." Felicity alerted.

"Oh, he did, Kryptonite!? Wow, preparation skills. OK, what have you got?" Alex asked, as they moved over to the other room.

That left Lena, Lucas, and Kara at the dining room table. Just sitting, waiting for Kara to get her head cut into.

"Hey, so, I know we don't know each other very well Kara, and I saw some of what you went through. I have no idea what it must have been like for you. But I know fear. I know fear for your family, your loved ones. And I know the pain of loss. The pain of sorrow, and loneliness. I also know physical pain. So, I'm here for you. Alright?" Lucas sat closer to Kara, who just stared at the floor and nodded. Lucas looked up and met Lena's eyes. He saw the pain in her eyes, and it wasn't due to her injuries. It was like her heart broke for her best friend. It makes him realize for the first time really how much Kara must have gone through after the attack. Kara's stare reminded him his father the first time he came back from Iraq in the early 90's. It was like he was physically there, but his FATHER was a million miles away.

Lena saw in Lucas' eyes he was putting together that there was a lot more to what happened to her friend other than what he witnessed, and what they told him about the attack at the bar. They hadn't discussed the bioweapon incident to him the previous night. Everything was way too fresh from the bar attack. They definitely hadn't had a chance this morning, what with all the excitement. Otherwise, what he what saying to Kara, he was kind of exposed. She respected his willingness to go the extra mile to try and comfort a woman he barely knew. She wondered what his story was.

Kara was holding on to Krypton right then. In her mind, she kept going through the moment when her parents gave her her mission. Protect Kal. Help the people of Earth. They'll see her power as godly. Use it wisely. Spread their ideals of love, family, and honor. Justice. Protection. She was trying her best. She had been crippled her body and mind were broken. This monster, whoever, whatever it was, they had bested her. They found her, and they got to her. Fully and completely. She was afraid, but she wasn't allowed to be afraid. The House of El is about strength. She had to be strong. They had Kryptonite, and they were going to cut into her. They were going to hurt her. But they don't want to, it's not the same as before. It's only to help. Kara took a sudden spasmatic deep breath, and her face changed to one of steel. Lucas and Lena looked at each other again, before turning there attention back to Supergirl. Because that's who they saw right then. It was Supergirl, not Kara Danvers.

"Come on, quit playing around. Let's do this and get this thing out so we can catch this asshole. Now." Kara called over to Alex and Felicity. The women whipped their attention back over to the alien. Alex was instantly concerned. She'd heard that tone before, her sister was shut down. She knew Kara would eventually come back, but after everything that happened, she wasn't sure how long it would take this time. She grabbed the box from Felicity and headed right over to her sister. Kara wanted to do it now, they'd do it now. It was her body, and her choice. They were going in blind anyway. She knew Kara would heal as soon as the Kryptonite was gone anyway.

"Alright, let's do it then. Lay down face down on the couch. There are sheets on there already. Lucas, I might need to get you some new ones after this. You'll live." Alex demanded.

Kara complied, and Lucas just nodded. Alex put a pillow under Kara's neck, and turned her head to the side so that they'd have access to her head and neck. Lena sat on the floor in front of Kara, out of the way of the other two women. She grabbed Kara's hand. Kara tried to pull away for a second, but Lena squeezed it harder. She wouldn't let Kara completely shut them out. Lena was determined to ground her friend, at least a little. She didn't particularly care whether it was what Kara thought she wanted right then, she was gonna be there.

"Lucas, can you go hang out in the room with Maggie in case there is noise and she wakes up. I don't want her to freak out and startle us while we're doing this thing." Alex ordered. Lucas again, just nodded and complied.

"Alright, Felicity, you know what you're doing when I'm in there?" Alex confirmed. Felicity gave a quick affirmative.

"Kara, we can't give you anything for the pain really. We don't actually have anything, but Felicity thinks she can do this pretty quickly. We're gonna try to go as gentle as possible." Alex tried to get through to her sister.

"Just get it out. I'll heal. Get it out." Kara repeated. She closed her eyes, and Alex saw her distinctive crinkle, and her jaw tense.

"OK, just try to relax your jaw, we'll be around those muscles and tendons. I don't want it to hurt you anymore than necessary. May just rest your mouth open a little bit. Like when you sleep and drool all over the pillow." Alex added. She got a shadow of a smile from Kara, before her sister did what Alex asked.

"Alright…here I go…" Alex made the first cut just behind Kara's ear, between her mandible and skull bones. Kara immediately grunted. Alex expected the initial reaction, and stopped for just a few seconds until Kara regulated the pain.

What Kara felt was excruciating. The Kryptonite already made her feel weak. It was like she'd given too much blood, and her whole body was heavy and nauseated. The feeling was all too familiar recently. But when Alex made that first cut, the reality of what was going to happen kicked in. She couldn't clench her teeth, so she tensed almost everywhere else. Her abs clenched, and she squeezed her best friend's hand. She knew she probably wouldn't hurt Lena in her weakened condition, so she trusted her friend enough, and didn't hold back with her grip. She did need the support, she was glad Lena demanded to be there. Lena was an amazing friend. Then Alex started cutting again. It was pretty damn shitty.

Alex was quick and precise. She was uncertain as to the exact placement of the tracker. She didn't even see any scarring or trace of it. It was time to trust a girl she'd never met prior with her sister's neck, brain, and spine. She just hoped this little tech nerd was as good as Kara hoped.

Felicity was given the scalpel and tweezers by Alex. It was her turn to hurt this hero, who was in such a vulnerable position. 'Oy vey oy vey oy vey. Ok I can do this I can do this.' Felicity took a deep breath, and started to cut further in under Kara's skull bone. Unfortunately, she had to cut the major neck muscle that attached behind her ear. She warned Kara and apologized, before making the cut. Kara's eyes popped open, and she made a terrible sound. It was partway between a cry, and like a scream. It wasn't very loud, since making noise, Kara immediately realized, was extremely painful with that muscle cut. Felicity wasn't used to the pained sounds of a woman. She usually did this kind of stuff on gruff, big, burley men. She took a couple of second to steady her hand. She could do this.

Felicity asked Alex to hold a light they had toward the incision. She used the scalpel to open up the wound a little bit so she could get a good view of the area she needed to see. She carefully moved around the tweezers in the sensitive flesh. Kara's body was hard as a rock with tension. Her face was beet red, and her eyes had squeezed shut again. The occasional involuntary grunt slipped out. Lena was rubbing her friend's hands gently, and shushing comfortingly.

"There it is, I can get it. Real quick, stay really still Kara." Felicity announced, a little bit loudly due to the adrenaline coursing powerfully though her body with every heartbeat. It was right there, she just needed to be so careful. It was small, and broken, and older tech.

"Come on you son of a…bitch. Don't even think about breaking you bastard asshole." Felicity mumbled to herself under her breath. Everybody else with thinking the same thing. Felicity had to hold the chip in place with the tweezers, and use the scalpel with her other hand to cut around it in order to get it out in one piece. She could clean up the edges later, once it was out. She worked quickly, and precisely. Alex was impressed with Felicity's surgical hands and dexterity. Sometimes thinking like a doctor helped her in situations like this, when she had to see her loved ones hurting. Felicity suddenly quickly and accurately slipped her tweezers away from Kara's neck, and dropped them into the mixing bowl they brought in for the chip. She immediately got the scalpel, and the tweezers themselves and tossed them quickly into the lead box they came in.

"OK Kara, it's over sweety." Alex said, as she took over Lena's position on the other side of the arm of the couch, holding on to Kara's hands for dear life while her sister was finally able to let out a good scream. The Kryptonian deserved the outlet. Her whole body went from steel tension to completely limp. All of Kara's energy having been spent trying to keep still and quiet during the entire painful procedure. Her tears let go, and flowed freely through soft sobs. Anything further hurt her still painful incision. Felicity came back over to the woman with a gauze patch, and placed it carefully, but firmly over the open wound. Kara cried out again at the pressure.

"Sorry, I'm sorry. It needs to be covered, to stop the bleeding." Felicity apologized.

"It's ok. It's ok. It'll heal soon Kara. This is only temporary OK?" Alex soothed. Lena sat on the other chair in the room with her chin resting on her hands, staring intently at the scene in front of her. She closed her eyes and let out a breath. She wasn't sure how much more pain she could see her best friend go through. Then again, she wasn't the one who just got cut into without any anesthetic. How could she say it was too much for HER. Lena ran her hands over her hair and looked back on at her friend. Kara had calmed now that everything had settled. She had one hand in Alex's, and the other holding on to Felicity's arm for dear life, which was the arm holding the gauze pad. Felicity had placed her free hand on Kara's for extra support. Kara was currently laying still with her eyes closed, taking slow deep breaths. Alex could tell her sister was practicing her Kryptonian form of what would be close to Earth's meditation. It was a mix between complete stillness and intense Kryptonian prayer. Alex could hear the prayers, even though Kara's lips were barely moving due to the pain in her neck and jaw.

Felicity looked up at Alex with a concerned face. Alex just nodded, indicating that Kara would be OK soon. Felicity lifted the gauze pad, and the wound had already started closing. She removed the pressure, as it wasn't bleeding. She looked back up at Alex, and it was her turn to nod that everything was looking fine on her end. She moved one hand to place it on Kara's head, and stroked the woman's hair comfortingly, before getting up from her place on the couch. She went over to the bowl, bringing it over to the dining room table, and washed her hands and face. She had sweat on her brow and neck from the adrenaline rush subsiding. She then grabbed a dish towel, wet it with some room temperature water to bring it over for Kara's neck and forehead. Felicity handed the towel, and went over to the dining room table to sit alone for a few minutes, before she was to start analyzing the chip.

Kara was feeling a lot better, but still queasy from the residual stress and Kryptonite exposure. She felt the neck muscle reattach to her skull. It was a weird and terribly feeling a first, but then soothing when it had healed. The wound was still very much there, and sore. She assumed it would be for another hour or so. It always took longer for her to fully feel 100% after receiving a Kryptonite wound. Once she felt the muscle heal, at least she was able to move around and get more comfortable. Alex noticed the newly free movement from her sister, and asked Kara if she could move up to the couch with her.

"yes please…" was all she received back from her exhausted sister. Alex sat on the couch, and carefully placed Kara's head on her lap. She rested the wet towel on Kara's forehead comfortably, and Kara curled up into her standard fetal position for security.

"Lena?" Alex whispered. Lena came over immediately. "Can you grab another towel for her neck, and refresh this one?" She asked. Lena mumbled an 'absolutely' and rushed over to fulfil the request.

The four women were joined by Lucas and Maggie a few minutes later after Lucas popped his head in to check on them. They all sat at the table to continue working with the chip and brainstorming for a little while. They others left Alex and Kara to relax while Kara recovered.


	21. Chapter 21

**This chapter M for language**

21

It had been a few hours since Felicity and Lena had been toiling away at the broken chip that had been embedded in Kara's neck. They made a surprisingly great team. Lena had expansive technological knowledge based in their Earth, and Felicity's background on Earth 1 had been at an expert level for years. They were able to identify the type, and manufacturer information on the chip. It was older tech as Felicity had expected, but her computer power in the apartment was only able to get her so far. She needed a REAL computer server, or it was going to take her days to backtrack the buyer. She was, however, able to narrow down that it was an online, dark web purchase. Felicity took the advice that Winn had given her that morning and asked about the Catco equipment.

Since Felicity wasn't known to associate with any of the key players in Kara's life on this Earth, they weren't concerned about her being seen coming or going from Lucas' residence. Alex gave her the address to Catco, and the keys to the extra Catco vehicle that Alex had taken to the apartment. They sent Felicity on her way with any key phone numbers that she'd need for contacting anyone of necessity; the DEO, Cat Grant's private number, the NCPD number, etc. She promised she'd be able to get them something by the end of the day, depending on server power at Cat's, and the fragments of data they were able to retrieve from Winn's DEO security program.

Meanwhile, all the ladies and Lucas could do was wait it out in his apartment. Contacting anyone outside would be too risky for their friends and family. The most they could do was order groceries in and get to know each other REALLY well. Lucas, Kara, and Maggie would sit on the couch with beers and discuss their pasts, families, interests, etc. Alex would join every now and then, but since she'd only had a couple of hours of sleep, she wound up mostly nodding off in Maggie's arms. Lena was never all about discussing her family much, and she still had a beast of a headache from the night prior. Not to mention a plethora of bruises and cuts. Kara had insisted she rest some more by the time Felicity had left. Hunching over that microchip with a magnifier and tweezers had not done wonders for her injuries. Lena didn't put up much of a fight to crawl back into bed and nap. Though she wasn't much for daytime sleep, so it mainly just consisted of her laying with a pillow over her head, and the curtains drawn. Complete dark and silence were her best friend at that point.

Kara and Maggie were intrigued by their newfound friend Lucas. His life had been a mishmash of different odd jobs, complicated family, and a kind of nomadic lifestyle in regards to his living situation. He wasn't kidding when he told Kara he had understood pain, loss, and despair. He too, had been orphaned at a young age, with very little family to fall back on. He had also been in the foster care system, (though not quite at all like Kara…he was in the REAL foster system). He had lost touch with any blood relatives years ago. It was no wonder he had lived in a number of different cities and had quite the colorful work history. Even a minor wrap sheet from when he was a kid and needed to steal in order to eat and have usable clothes and shoes. It was nothing major though, and it was all underage, so he never had any issues getting work. He had even let slip that he'd changed his surname in his mid-twenties to distance himself from his unpleasant past. He'd used the first name of a friend of one of his foster brothers. It was the guy who'd first introduced to him the fact that he could focus his energies on using his time on productivity as opposed to loitering around town with his foster siblings and delinquent friends. Lucas said he'd aged out of the system with nothing and left without ever looking back.

Kara was impressed that he'd been able to get out of that situation unscathed. She'd read somewhere that the rate of high school graduates coming from the foster system was horribly low, the incarceration rate was horribly high and the college graduations was abysmal. Not many adults with Lucas' background could boast about having a decent job, their own apartment, and a degree. He had bashfully mentioned that once Supergirl came into the picture in National City, he had moved there because he'd felt a connection to news reports of her past struggles. He said she gave him hope that he could keep going and be a good person despite all the loss and pain he'd faced. Kara got bright red and had shed some tears at his confession. Even Maggie had gotten misty when Kara reached over and shared a sincere and emotional embrace with the tearful man. That moment was singularly representative of how all of Kara's hard work and sacrifices had the effect on at least one person that she had hoped. It made all of her pain, blood and tears worth every second.

At one point during the afternoon, while they were trying to relax and quietly playing some music, Alex awoke with her head on Maggie's lap. She went to say something, but Maggie had put a finger in front of Alex's lips to indicate to be quiet for a minute. She'd used the same finger to slyly point over to the kitchen, where Alex noticed Kara and Lucas had food in the oven, leaning again his counter. Kara had her hand resting in Lucas', and they seemed to be in deep conversation. She could see her sister's crinkle from the couch. The one Kara used when she was concentrating on every word someone was saying. Alex made a questioning face up at Maggie as to whether she should be worried. Maggie winked and nodded that she had been keeping an eye out, and that Lucas seemed on the up and up. Alex looked back over at Kara, who smiled and giggled at something Lucas said. It was the first time in as long as Alex could remember seeing her sister genuinely smile. It meant everything to Alex that Lucas had made the most important person in her life happy, if only for a minute. It was the beginning of the end of Kara's deep depression, she'd hoped anyway. She put her hand on Maggie's a squeezed. Maggie rest her other hand on her girlfriend's, indicating that it was ok for Alex to relax and try to catch at least a few more minutes of sleep. They both had a feeling they'd need it.

Lena awoke to a muffled beeping noise. It wasn't loud, but it was annoyingly consistent. Lena had a moderate case of OCD anxiety disorder. Any consistent noise would eventually start to run up her spine, especially if it was quiet and she was trying to relax. She didn't want to bother Lucas and didn't want to snoop, but she figured it was just some alarm or something. She went into the closet, it looked as though it was a shared closet with the master bedroom. She found what looked like an open computer case. It seemed he'd left his laptop on, and it was dying. Lena thought she'd do him a favor and click a quick shut down so he didn't lose any important information.

Kara was engrossed in conversation with the man who'd saved her life that fateful day. The pureness in his words and in his heart shone throw with everything he said. He definitely had a lot of baggage, and was a bit of a mystery, but she knew in her heart that he was a good man. She hadn't even noticed that she'd taken his hand at some point during their one on one conversation. When she did realize, she didn't pull away. It was comforting to have someone new to connect with. Plus, he wasn't terrible to look at, and seemed to be just as at ease with her hand in his as her. Eventually, she had to put a pause to their conversation to collect herself for a minute the bathroom. It had been an emotional week or two…or eight. While she was washing her hands, she wondered if he had any lotion. If she was going to have a sweet guy, (who was admittedly pretty damn sexy), holding her hand, she wanted to make sure that they weren't all calloused and rough. It was a drawback of being the girl of steel, her hands weren't always incredibly soft like her sisters, or Lena's. She used her x-ray vision into his bathroom closet, she noticed some heavy duty "dude lotion", as she called it. That unscented industrial stuff that those tough working guys used. (Damn sexy). She popped into the closet and moved a couple of things to the side to reach it. When she pulled back the bottle, she noticed something pink on her hand. As she looked up, she smiled mischievously, expecting to have missed something from an ex-girlfriend or something that she'd tossed to the side. Instead, she found a plain opaque white plastic jar that had just a bit of residual powder on the outside.

"Hmm?" Kara murmured out loud to herself. "What is…" Kara immediately silenced upon opening the quarter full jar and stared at a fine reddish-pink powder. She looked back at her hand that had been exposed to the powder. "No… it can't…it has to be something else…" Kara whispered to herself, and she quickly and carefully closed the jar and tossed it as far back into the closet as she could. She took in a deep panicked breath to try to steady her racing thoughts, but she felt a burning sensation. Like when she'd inhaled a bit of smoke during the earthquake, when she had blown out her powers. She let out a slight cough, but her hand reflexively started toward her mouth. Kara's quick reflexes stopped her from touching the red-pink substance on her hand to her face. From that moment on, it was pure panic. Kara sped over to the sink and used her super speed to vigorously scrub the substance from her hands. She scrubbed her face, eyes, and gargled in an attempt to get any of the substance from entering her body. Kara still wasn't sure of what she'd seen or touched. Unfortunately, by that point, pure PTSD had kicked in. She took in another deep breath and felt the same burning sensation. "Shit! SH…" Kara choked on her words again, as the slight burning in her lungs flared again.

"ALEX! MAGGIE! KARA!" Kara heard a different voice from the other room. It startled her, and she let out another rumble from her chest. The voice was Lena's. She was screaming bloody murder from the bedroom. Kara's mind was in 40 different places, fear, panic, despair, protectiveness… Her mind raced, and she started sweating. She didn't notice the tears that had already started streaming down her face. Kara heard Alex, Maggie, and Lucas all bounding down the hall to meet Lena's screams. Kara focused momentarily, long enough to speed after them into the spare bedroom.

"Guys, it's HIM! It's FUCKING HIM!" Lena screamed, her face was beat red in anger as she moved quickly to meet Lucas' chest with her fist. Alex and Maggie each grabbed an arm of Lena's, careful of her bruises.

"Lena!? What!? What is going on!?" Alex yelled over the already screaming CEO.

"His computer! It was beeping and I went to turn it off! He has some message from some stupid game right there on the fucking screen! 'Have you located the target. Haven't seen Supergirl in the news. I expect her found and taken care of in 48 hours.'! It was HIM ALL ALONG! He had the PERFECT opportunity to place the tracker! He knew EXACTLY what was going to fucking happen all along!" Lena screamed, as she struggled to get herself out of the other women's grasps. Alex and Maggie understood about halfway through Lena's rant. By the time the rant was finished, they had whipped their heads over to Lucas and Kara. Before they could even react, Lucas was face down on the floor with Kara on top of him. She had his arms crossed painfully behind his back, as he grunted, but didn't struggle. Lucas just laid there, hiding his face in the carpet the best he could. It was clear he was guilty as he started crying into the plush floor surface. He shook his head, and lightly banged his forehead against the floor a couple times in shame and despair.

Alex and Maggie had let go of Lena. As Maggie stood in shock, and Lena stood in anger, Alex rushed immediately over to her sister, and took over binding Lucas' arms with a zip tie she had in her cargo pants. Alex whipped her gaze over to Kara's face. Alex's heart sank to her stomach, as she saw her sister's beat red face. Kara's veins in her neck and face were popping out as if she was trying to deadlift a tractor trailer. More alarming was the fact that her sister hadn't taken a deep breath yet. Kara's breaths were shallow, and rushed, as if she was hyperventilating.

"Maggie, take him! Kara! Kara breathe baby! Deep breaths!" Alex rushed over to her sister. It was clear she was having a panic attack, but how did it come on that quickly?! Lena was by Alex's side mere seconds later.

"Kara! Shhh shhh, it's ok! We got him, we got him! Breathe sweety!" Lena wrapped herself around Kara like the last attack the previous night. Kara held on tight, a little too tight, and Lena flinched. Kara did have to presence of mind to release her grip immediately when she felt Lena flinch. Alex held Kara's face in her hands, desperately trying to get Kara to register her breaths, and mimic her breathing.

"In and out Kara. Shh Shh, breathe like me. In…and out…" Alex studied her sister's eyes as she tried to get through to her. Something was different. This wasn't her sister, this wasn't a normal panic attack. She'd seen her sister have a panic attack. Way too many times.

"Something's wrong. Kara, baby, look at me! Take a breath, tell me what's going on. Are you hurt?" Alex tried to keep her tone as calm as she could for her sister. Her breathing was shallow, but it looked pained. _Shit!_ "Kara…speak!"

Kara closed her eyes to try and ground herself. That was a terrible decision. The second her eyes were closed, she saw her mother and father before her eyes. They started bleeding from their eyes and mouths, and their faces turned black. They melted, as fire surrounded them. Their skin, to blood, to muscle, and finally bones. Her parents' skeletons turned to black ash, as the flames engulfed them completely. ' _KARA!'_ She heard, as she popped her eyes back open to meet the deep brown eyes of her sister.

"alex." Kara breathed out.

"YES baby! It's me, look at me. What do you see?" Alex asked as calmly as possible.

"Your eyes." Kara whispered huskily.

"Good girl, what do you smell?"

"Your coffee breath." Kara took another labored, shallow breath. The burning was easing up slightly, but she was light headed, and she was getting warmer from the inside out. She tried to keep up with breathing with Alex the best she could. She couldn't stop moving her legs, and struggling slightly against Lena's weight around her arms.

"That's good baby. What do you hear? Rattle off the sounds. Focus on one that's soothing." Alex coached as she tried to ground her sister the best she could. She needed to know what was going on.

"Uh…ah…he's crying, your heart is pounding, Lena's heart is beating faster, Maggie's handcuffs are banging against each other. Uh…outside…there…there is a girl…she's listening to music in her car…it's…it's the Beatles. She's singing along to 'Something'. She'd terrible." Kara huffed, as she focused on the random girl outside, sitting in traffic. She listened to her sing along to the song. Kara tried to take a breath and sing along with her. She tried to remember the words, and the melody. She tried to keep air in her lungs enough to sing each line quietly to herself. At that point, she had blocked as much as she could out, and listened just to that girl and the song.

Alex felt Kara move her hands to her own wrists, clinging for dear life. Kara let out a couple of coughs, while keeping her breath, and quietly singing to herself. This was definite progress. As long as Kara could focus on one thing long enough, her panic would subside, and she'd be able to articulate what was going on in her head.

"The bathroom…the closet. White jar…the white jar…" Kara was able to breathe out with a grunt. Alex shared a momentary look with Lena. Lena nodded, and Alex bolted toward the bathroom. She fumbled quickly and frantically through the closet. She found a white jar on its side thrown haphazardly in the back. Kara's doing, she assumed. She wasn't even thinking about what could be in it when she opened the jar. She was just frantically following Kara's directive. When she saw what was inside, she understood. Everything fell into place with Kara's behavior. She saw some of the powder on the outside of the jar with dusted fingerprints. Kara was exposed to this shit…AGAIN! Because of HIM!

"What the FUCK! Are you fucking kidding me!?" Alex sealed the jar back up, and left it where it was in the closet. She turned on the shower, rinsed her hands and arms quickly. Alex ran out into the kitchen, and frantically looked for plastic bags. She grabbed the first one she could find that was big enough, ran it into the bathroom, and sealed the jar inside without touching it with her hands. Once the jar was secure, she closed the jar into Maggie's police bag in the kitchen. She grabbed the tablet off the table and screamed to the two DEO agents on Skype from outside in an undercover car.

"We need medical evac for Supergirl! A prisoner transport! Quarantine clean room set up in the med bay! Contact the Director right away, tell him we have a repeat toxic situation with Supergirl, and a suspect in custody! NOW!" Alex threw the tablet towards the table, and it crashed to the floor.

Alex made it back to her sister in less than 3 minutes total since she'd left her. Alex grabbed Kara's hands, and hoisted her quickly off of her spot on the floor with Lena. Lena just let her friend go and followed. Alex held Kara's arms, and directed her from behind back into the bathroom. Kara started to fight Alex's directive, she didn't want to go back into that room.

"Kara it's fine, it's contained. GO!" Alex shouted. She didn't have time for her sister to struggle with her on this. Kara relented, and let Alex basically throw her into the shower. The water was cold, but she welcomed the feeling of washing any remnants of that shit off of her. Kara breathed in a little water but sputtered through it. She held onto the railing in the shower with both hands, as Alex was pouring soap into her hands, and rubbing it all over her face, hair, arms. She was stripped of the possibly contaminated clothes within a minute or two. Alex threw them towards Lena with a quick word _"Same neurotoxin from before"_ , and Lena threw the clothes into the master bedroom. It was the closest room with a door that she could close. She ran back in to the bathroom. At that point Kara had slid down to a seated position on the shower floor. Her hands were still holding onto the railing. Lena assumed it was in an effort to keep herself grounded and present. Alex had lathered everything on Kara with tons of soap. Kara's hair, neck, face, arms…everything was being scrubbed clean. Lena jarred herself back into motion, grabbing the detachable showerhead, and rinsing Kara off as quickly and efficiently as she could. They heard a male voice yell, "Clean clothes in my room!" from across the hall.

"SCREW YOU ASSHOLE!" Alex yelled back.

"They're still in the plastic from the dry cleaner! I promise! I don't want to hurt her!" Lucas yelled from his position, face down in the spare room, Maggie on top of him. Lena and Alex looked at each other.

"Just do it." Kara sputtered through the water. "It's fine." Kara at least trusted that he was telling the truth about that, and she was FREEZING. "S'cold, just do it." Kara struggled to get out again.

Lena nodded her head, tossed the showerhead to Alex in order for her to finish in the shower. Lena ran into the bedroom and found what looked like casual work clothes in plastic. She grabbed them and ran back to Kara just as Alex shut off the water.

"I need a towel, can't use the ones in there." Alex nodded towards the closet and directed Kara out of that room as quick as possible…just in case. In the living room Lena grabbed a shirt from her overnight bag, and used that to swiftly dry Kara's hair, arms and legs. It wasn't perfect, but whatever.

They sat Kara down on the couch and threw the long sleeve shirt, and a pair of sweatpants with spackle stains on them, likely from contractor work. Alex also threw a blanket from the couch around Kara for good measure.

When all was said and done, Lena crouched in front of Kara. She had her hands intertwined with her friend's. Alex had ran to get her phone. J'onn was calling, and she wanted him to have as much information as possible for Kara's arrival. They knew that any contact whatsoever, no matter how little, that Kara had with that parasitic toxin could be lethal. Not to mention, this was her second exposure in as many weeks. Alex was going crazy not having any data on this thing to back up what Kara had remembered from grade school. Her sister was smart, very smart, with an astounding memory. Alex just NEEDED MORE information. How much effect did the toxin have at different level of exposure? Did it multiply in the blood stream? Was a second exposure different than the first? Has there EVER BEEN a second exposure? What was her sister experiencing right now, and what did she have ahead of her?!

Alex found her own self spiraling toward panic. She needed to focus, Kara needed her in her right mind.

Suddenly, Vasquez and Davis barged in, having bolted from their post downstairs once they'd called in all the backup orders from Alex. Alex pointed the spare room out to them. When the agents got into the room, Maggie had Lucas laying painfully on his back. He was laying on his crossed and handcuffed arms. Maggie was straddled on top of him, one hand with a fist full of his hair, and her other forearm on Lucas' throat as he struggled for each breath. Her face was so close to his, they were almost touching. Lucas had tear streaks on his face, which was beat red as his veins were bulging. He was definitely going to have burst blood vessels from the pressure.

"SAWYER!" Vazquez yelled as the agents pulled her off of the man. Davis pushed Maggie as she tried to get back to him to finish the job.

"Take a walk! GO!" Davis yelled as he pushed her out of the room. Vasquez grabbed Lucas' shirt collar and bicep to pull him up. She and Davis pushed him out. His head hung low, and he sniffed again. He sputtered and coughed, as he still tried to catch his breath from Maggie's assault. There were 2 holes in the wall in the hallway where Maggie had released her frustration. She stood leaning against the wall and held her bloody hand. She was stone still as the agents quickly walked Lucas by on the way out the front door. All four of the women in the apartment followed the shamed man with their eyes as he was pushed out of the apartment. Kara had tears slowly but steadily rolling down her face. She was scared, she was terrified to close her eyes. She was terrified about what she would start seeing, or the fever, or pain she was about to experience.

Alex, turned toward her sister when she heard Kryptonian. Kara had her eyes locked with Lena's. She was mumbling Kryptonian words, which Alex recognized as a prayer that Kara had used many times before. Alex tightened her grip on Kara's hand. All Kara could do was stare at Lena's green eyes and use them as a focal point. She needed to stay here. With her friend and her sister. She couldn't go back to in her pod locked in space, or to Krypton. She couldn't go back to the monsters that might creep up in her mind and vision at any second. Kara heard her words repeated on the other side of her. She knew it was her sister, it helped her ground her hearing as she kept her eyes locked with Lena's, trying not to blink.

Finally, they heard the medevac helicopter. It landed on the roof, and Alex already had Kara's shaking body up and on their way up the stairs. As soon as they burst the doors open to the roof, the bright light assaulted Kara eyes, and she blinked a few times. Then there were 3 White Martians running toward her, almost on top of her. She screamed out for J'onn to warn him of the danger, she tried to fly away, but she felt two arms on hers. She looked from side to side, and saw Clark on one side, with black eyes and white skin. He screamed at her in broken Kryptonian, but his skin was cracked and peeling. He opened his mouth, and hundreds of Kryptonian insects flew out of his mouth, clouding her vision. She screamed and tried to duck with her hands over her head. Someone kept lifting her and yelling. They laid her in her pod, and strapped her hands down so she couldn't get out. She felt sick to her stomach, and weak. _'Kryptonite…no!"_

"Kara! It's ok! I'm so sorry, we have to make sure you're safe! Please, I'm sorry about the Kryptonite, but we have to sweety. It's ok baby…shhh…shhh. It's OK." Alex held her sister's hand as she was strapped to a gurney, and locked to it with very low grade Kryptonite cuffs to keep her from struggling and hurting herself.

"Shit! SHIT! Kara, please baby, it's ok. Come back to us, focus on my voice! Look here, look at my eyes, do you know who I am?" Alex was desperate to get to her sister, who was locked in a living nightmare. The helicopter flew at top speed to get their hero to the DEO for treatment.

"Kal! NO! Stop!" Kara was screaming. She saw her cousin in her sister's place, his scowl menacing. "Please…pleasepleasspleaseplease…stop. Please stop!" Kara wailed. She was hyperventilating, and they had put an oxygen mask over Kara's face, much to her chagrin. To Kara the oxygen mask felt like the hundreds of insects all over her face. She couldn't move, couldn't get them off. Eventually, she felt dizzy, and light headed. She was sick…

"Get her to her side, get that mask off!" One of the medics yelled, as she studied Kara's features and stats. Alex and the other medic rolled Kara the best they could, as she vomited.

"Turn down the Kryptonite! It's making her sick!" Alex barked.

"It's on the lowest setting. It isn't the Kryptonite. It likely from the hyperventilation and over oxygenating. She needs to calm down. Push Lorazopam."

Kara felt pain in her arm. As she looked down, she saw the insects. She couldn't remember their Kryptonian name. She was freaking out too much. They stung her on her arm, and she felt a hot venom slip up her arm. As she struggled she felt herself getting weaker, her heart slowed considerably, and her breath got slower. She actually felt better, physically. She felt a pain on her face. Kal slapped her face lightly. He slapped her again. She shook her head away. He put his hand on her forehead and stroked her hair. What she was seeing didn't match what she was feeling. His hand was soft, his skin felt human, like her sister's. And cold. That was a tell. It clicked for Kara right then. It wasn't Kal's hand. It couldn't be. Kryptonians ran warmer than humans. His hand would be the same temperature as hers. This hand was definitely human.

' _Think think think…Kara THINK! Focus, what is happening. What is the last thing I remember?"_ The swirling pink clouds and red hued sky were distracting, so she closed her eyes. She remembers the last time she closed her eyes like this. There was her mother and father burning, melting. Then she opened her eyes and it was…

Kara opened her eyes, and it wasn't Kal. It was Alex. _"Thank Rao."_ She thought to herself, as she took a deep breath. She felt the oxygen enter her lungs. She lifted her head slightly to look down at herself. She had an oxygen mask on her face. They had her on a gurney. Her sister was there and held her hand. Alex put a hand on Kara's face again. Kara welcomed the now familiar touch and leaned into it. Her vision was blurry from the tears, and she assumed the drugs keeping her heart from pounding.

"Alex…" Kara whispered into her oxygen mask. Alex noticed that Kara had relaxed into her touch, and her lips where moving. She took of Kara's oxygen mask.

"Kara, hi baby, are you with me?" Alex said as gently as she could while in a helicopter.

Kara just burst into more sob and nodded. "Alex help me. I wanna stay, don't let me go back there. Please." Kara pleaded. Alex broke down, tears streamed down her face.

"Oh sweety, I know it's scary, and I'm trying OK. I'm going to fix this alright? I'm trying my best to keep you her with me. Please keep trying. It's not real. The scary stuff…it's just the toxin OK? Keep telling yourself! It's fake, it's the toxin hurting your brain. I'm going to fix it! You're safe baby!" Alex strung everything she wanted to say together all at once. She was scared she'd lose Kara again, and wanted to make sure she got everything in.

"I love you Kara! I love you. I'm here, Lena is here, we aren't going anywhere. Can you squeeze my hand?" Alex asked. Kara complied, and held onto her sister's hand as hard as she could. She saw and felt Alex lean over and kiss her forehead, and she felt calmed down. Then she slipped back to the nightmare.

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG


	22. Chapter 22

22

"Out of the way! MOVE!" Alex shouted as they wheeled her sister to the medbay at headquarters. She went as far as to roughly shove another agent out of the way to clear the path.

Lena ran behind the gurney, determined to go as far as she could with her friend before they ultimately stopped her just outside of the glass doors. Dr. Hamilton was already on site preparing medications, the dialysis machine, etc. They allowed Alex to help, as she was one of the only medical staff that had experience with Kara's exposure to this specific bioweapon.

Kara had her eyes tightly shut, tears were streaming down her face as she yelled for her sister's help. She had been in and out of lucidity for the 15 minute helicopter transport. The screaming and pleading was getting to Alex and Lena in the copter. Alex broke down at one point for just a minute, then pulled herself back together. They'd brought her sister back before, and they'd do it again. She had to believe that.

Winn had the presence of mind to contact Cat and Felicity by phone to update them on their findings. As it had turned out, in the time between the discovery of Lucas as the culprit and the phone call they received, Felicity had tracked the IP address of the buyer to Lucas'. It had been under his pseudonym. As it turned out, his name was Pete Levitt. She found one blood brother, and countless foster homes. He'd had a minor misdemeanor record, just as he'd revealed to the girls earlier that afternoon. His brother was in federal prison for computer crimes in Metropolis. His brother, Steven, was serving 15 to 20 years. He'd had a drug addiction problem, and a few priors related to such. It seemed he was a model prisoner though, nothing to suggest either brother would be a mastermind, or have motive to hurt Kara. She indicated she'd keep digging to see if there was any connection to anyone with a grudge against the superhero. Lena and Winn agreed to help her with some history of like crimes on their Earth that Felicity might not know to explore. Cat and James were in the old 'Superfriends' office helping her already. Of course known Cadmus members were on the table. They would take a while to sort through just with them. They also were working on Fort Rozz angle, as well as the US Government itself. They had texted Lucy Lane that they'd likely be contacting her in the near future if they needed anything streamlined on that end. After all of the relevant basics were covered, Winn had to excuse himself from the phone call in order to compose himself. They could hear Kara's terrified screams from the control room and it was getting to him. He was sick with guilt that they didn't find the information soon enough to help Kara. He was right under their nose all along. His background check had been rock solid after the explosion. How did they miss it!

As Dr. Hamilton began hooking Kara to the machines, Alex held her sister's hand tight, speaking her best Kryptonian to her sister. She used all the soothing words she knew, as well as Kara's favorite prayers and songs she had studied. There were a couple that she'd rattled off that seemed to calm Kara more than others. Those she repeated until she lost her sister again, afterwards continuing to try new ones. Rinse and repeat. Kara's BP was at very dangerous levels. Her heart rate was way out of control and her rhythm irregular. Dr. Hamilton pushed some more calming drugs in order to try to regulate the alien's vitals. Alex helped rattle off a few that she knew responded better to Kara's physiology.

J'onn and Maggie were noticeably missing. About 20 minutes after Kara had arrived, "Lucas" arrived with the arresting DEO agents. They threw him into an interrogation room, cuffed to a table, until Felicity could get them his full history report. They wanted all the information they could get prior to questioning the bastard. He hadn't said a word for the entire transport to the DEO. His tears had subsided, and he was staring blankly at the table. He looked wrecked, haggard, and guilty as sin.

When they received as much relevant information as they could, they both went in. Maggie had calmed her anger well enough to be level headed. They had wrapped up her hand quickly, it was a temporary fix until they could get some x-rays done.

"Pete Levitt. Detroit. Parents, Richard and Diana, deceased 1996. Brother, Steven Levitt, 35, incarcerated in Metropolis Federal Prison. Minor misdemeanor record, theft, grand theft auto…basic stupid shit. Tell us PETE, how does one go from that, to computer hacker, domestic terrorist, and attempted murderer?" Maggie rattled off, with a complete lack of emotion. Pete looked like he was about to throw up when she added attempted murder to the list.

"Oh God, oh God, I know. I didn't mean it. I didn't want to. He said he'd kill my brother. I didn't know what the powder was…I still don't really. I didn't know how to stop it. I tried to hold him off and stall. I just couldn't figure out how to get out of it. So many people are dead. Kara is hurt, and suffering… I'm… I'm so ashamed…I'm so sorry. My brother is going to die…" Pete confessed…he let out a sob when he came to the realization that it was all over. He'd failed. He'd failed to help Kara. He'd failed to save his brother. He just didn't have it in him to resist the mastermind's threats, but didn't have the guts to follow through.

"I didn't mean for her to find the jar, I promise. I'd put it away. I didn't realize it had anything on the outside of it that she could touch. I should have…god I should have thrown it into a bonfire or something. I was disgusted in myself. I'm so sorry…please…please tell Kara I'm so sorry. She's my hero…she's my hope, and light, and inspiration…"

"Supergirl." J'onn said, his voice seething.

"wha…" Pete stammered.

"SUPERGIRL! Her given name is off limits to you! Now you'll tell us everything you know, NOW! You're going to tell us how you got that shit, who you're working with, what you had to do with the other attacks in the bar, and on the Cadmus facility. The bomb… Start from the beginning." J'onn demanded. Unbeknownst to Pete, J'onn had been reading the man's mind, trying to get to the truth. Pete's thoughts were erratic, complicated and hard to cypher through.

"Calm down, and just tell us what happened. If what you're telling us checks out, you may be able to help us stop whoever is behind this." Maggie sat calmly in front of the man. After everything they'd discuss over the past couple of days with him, she really didn't want to believe that the broken looking man was a complete two-faced liar. She was just so hurt and angry that it was hard to separate her feelings out. She can't imagine how Kara will get through this when she got better…if she got better.

Pete took a deep breath, full of pain and emotion.

"Everything I told you at the apartment was true. I promise you that. I did lie by omission, I know, I'm so sorry. I had to. I didn't know what to do, or how to get out of this. I would never willingly hurt anyone, let alone Ka…Supergirl." Pete started. Maggie glanced at J'onn, he nodded that the man was being truthful so far.

"OK, so what happened? What…or who…could possibly get you to commit these HEINOUS acts on someone you love, that you consider your 'hero'?" Maggie asked, already having had deduced the answer to an extent from Pete's previous rantings.

Pete sniffed, as a single tear rolled down his already stained cheeks.

"My brother. He…he was everything to me. He was all I had. My protector, my caretaker, a father-figure. He was my life. I know, he made bad choices when we were young, but he always did it to take care of me. One day when I was like 8 or 9, just after our parents died, he met this guy on the street. Dude ran some club, hackers or whatever. He talked to my brother, and realized my brother had talent for numbers, and programming. The guy took Stevie under his wing, kind of, and taught him computers, and hacking and stuff. BY the time Steve was 16, he was great at it. He was making a little bit of money, helping me out as much as he could in the foster home. He'd left the system and gone of the grid by then. But, he'd still come by and see me in secret. He'd bring me down to the place the club worked out of when I was like 10 or 11, and let me sit with him while he did his thing. I learned what I could from him. I didn't have the natural talent he did, but I could get by on the dark web and programming. We grew up fast, and by the time I aged out of the system, Stevie had gotten himself into trouble. The guy that taught him everything blamed everything on my brother and got out in 18 months. Stevie got years. He developed a drug habit inside, he had been trying to beat it. He went to NA meetings in the prison, and he was doing great. By that time, I'd bolted, I needed to get out of the city. I moved around, trying to stay off grid. I was doing odd jobs for a few years. A couple years ago, I saw a news story on Supergirl. As I told you earlier, she was a big draw for me to come to National City. I saw her as a representative of what I COULD be. She was hope, that even though I lost everyone I loved, I could still make something of myself. I just wanted to be close to her spirit, her heart. A couple of months ago, I got a message on my phone out of the blue. It was a threat against my brother. They told me to meet the on messenger on that STUPID game, and that if I didn't my brother would be found dead with a needle in his arm. I didn't know what else to do. I didn't know who it was. I did it." Pete took a minute to take deep breaths. This was the hard part…admitting how much of a coward he was.

"He gave me a few serial numbers of black market products to order…on the DL. He also gave me a dark web contact for the Lucas identity. He already had everything ready for me, and the contact just sent it to my address once I contacted him. There was a new National City address for me to go and live. He didn't want anything traceable back to me, and definitely not him. I didn't know what the pink stuff was, but it was pretty clear he'd set up these fences and transactions. He gave me a number to call and get that stuff over to his contact. It was a guy, he wore a mask, I didn't see who he was. The guy put a bunch of the powder into a metal container, with a bunch of glowy green stuff. The stuff from the bomb…I know now. The guy told me to make sure I was at the bar Noonan's that one morning. He gave me a picture. He said to take the tracker with me and plug it under her skin. He showed me where. I was confused, how was I supposed to do that? He just said 'You'll know when the time is right', and that my brother's life depended on it. I was scared to death. I swear I didn't know the details of what was going to happen. I would have never… During the attack, I figured out the extent of what was going on. I felt sick, but I panicked, and planted the tracker while Supergirl was out and the confusion hit. But I choked. I couldn't just leave her to be hurt or taken or something. I didn't know what their paln was, so I did the only thing I could think of…"

"You got her out of there." J'onn finished Pete's thought. Pete just nodded.

"I already had the tracker on her, I figured I could buy her some time if we got her out. I told the main guy that everybody was all over her, and there was no way I could keep her in the shop without drawing suspicion. I used the excuse that she had the tracker on her, and that we knew where she would be, and where she was going…I…did what I could…but I'm a coward." Pete broke down at that point. He put his head on his hands at the table.

Maggie and J'onn looked at each other. _"He's telling the truth. My body hurts for him."_ J'onn popped into Maggie's mind. She jolted, she was NOT used to that. Maggie nodded. She was still halfway blinded by anger at Pete's betrayal, but she couldn't help but feel for the weeping man.

"Pete…do you know who was behind this? Did they ever give you any indication to their identity or whereabouts?" Maggie asked, she tried to emote as much empathy as possible in order to get the man to open up.

"I don't, we only communicated through that messaging system and his contacts. The guy I had helping me I hired at the guy's directive. After the attack, he had told me to hire someone to follow the tracker and keep tabs on Kar…Supergirl. He also gave me all of your guys' names and told me to gather info from the dark web, to have my guy keep tabs on you all as well. I did it. Then Supergirl went off the map, I guess that's when the chip shorted. I was kind of relieved, but the leader guy was pissed. He told me to find her, and report. Then, not the next day, you ladies arrived right on my door step. I reported to the guy from my room early this morning, I told him we still hadn't located Supergirl, and that I was working on it day and night. I was doing my best to stall until I could figure out what to tell him. What Lena saw must have come through this afternoon while I was with you guys in the living room. He usually contacted me at least a couple times a day with threats or orders. I just…I didn't know what to do…" Pete confessed and quieted. He had nothing left to say. That was the whole story. He felt like he didn't deserve mercy, and that he didn't have anything left to lose. He would just let them do whatever they were going to do to him.

J'onn, just turned and stormed out of the interrogation room. Maggie stood quickly to follow his lead. When the door opened, Pete could hear Kara's screams of fear and pain from all the way down the hall. His heart dropped. He hadn't been privy to the details of what the toxin did to her, he just knew it was terrible based on her demeanor any time it was mentioned. Now he was hearing it for himself. His shame exploded exponentially in that moment, and he leaned over to involuntarily vomit on the floor next to him. Maggie and J'onn saw from the next room through the 2-way mirror. J'onn sent an agent in there to clean it up for the man and give him a bottle of water.

"Jesus J'onn…do you really think this guy is telling the truth?" Maggie asked. "If so, that's the shittiest position I've seen anyone in in a quite while."

"The alien from the bar, Bee; the bomber; Peter, even Lillian Luthor. All of their stories match up. Mysterious mastermind, physical contact with an unidentifiable man. Blackmail…threats. I'd hate to say it, but I read his mind, and he's telling the truth. It's ugly, it's sad…but it's the truth to his knowledge." J'onn confirmed. "This is a mess. We need to find out who is pulling the strings for this."

"You said it. These people, they are all victims of the same person. We have no way of knowing who else could have been compromised. Kara needs constant guard and surveillance. Even though, at this point, I can't imagine Alex letting her go anywhere, or let her out of her sight." Maggie agreed.

"Let's go check on our girl. I'll have the guards transfer him to a holding cell." J'onn suggested. Maggie nodded and followed took the lead.

 _ **I promise guys, I'll get back to Kara and her brain parasite next chapter. I've just been waiting to write out 'Lucas' story for a WHILE! Confession time: I had planned for the guy that saved Kara in Noonan's to be a bad guy for the entire time. BUT, after I wrote the chapter that the girls first got to Lucas' apartment, and I wrote his reaction to seeing her and hugging her and everything…I lost my nerve. I was like 'HOW CAN I MAKE THIS GUY A BAD GUY NOW! I'D BE DEVESTATED! I CAN'T DO THAT TO MY PEOPLLLLLE!'. So, I explained my predicament to my mom (who is an AVID mystery reader, and mystery, crime drama TV enthusiast). She didn't take time to think or even flinch, she was like "Nope, he has to be the bad guy now. It's just where the story has to go, and you know it." I was like…..damn….. But, in the end, I kind of had to make him half and half. I knew there was going to be a mastermind anyway, so I figured, I can at least write the truth of who I believe his character to be in my heart.**_

 _ **What do you guys think?**_

 _ **Love you! PEACE!**_

 _ **JAG**_


	23. Chapter 23

23

"Felicity, what have you got?" Lena asked, as she put her temporary DEO desk phone on speaker. Winn had come over to Lena's desk with a text from Felicity asking if he was with Lena. It had requested they call her back when they were together to discuss something interesting that she'd found.

"Hey, so I was able to trace the account IP that had been messaging Lucas, I mean Peter, from the mainframe of the online gaming. I came up with a name, Jake Harris of National City. But I couldn't find any background information. It's probably the same way that Peter got his fake identity. I think Peter is the middle man, and Jake is the real contact for your mastermind. I'm gonna keep digging to see if I can back trace a legitimate bank account for the money transfers that have supplied this Jake with what he's used for the game subscriptions and the dark web purchases. Unfortunately, the purchases themselves were purchased with coin…of course. All I can tell is that they actually funnel through Metropolis. But there are like 7 million people in the greater Metropolis region to sort through." Felicity rattled off.

"OK, good work. At least we have an alias to work from. I'll check with Maggie to see if there is any info on this guy through the underground alien circuits, off line ones. Anything else you can get us?" Winn asked.

"Well…one thing came up, but I'm not sure if it's relevant. Cat thought it was worth mentioning, and maybe digging into…" Felicity started off, she sounded apprehensive.

"What is it? Anything can be a possible lead at this point." Lena prodded.

"OK, so, when I went back into my original checks on Peter, under the name Lucas Alexander, something came up that I didn't register at the time. Then when I compared notes with James and Cat, they thought it to apparently be very relevant. I was inputting my initial search under 'Alexander, Lucas', and before I was finished typing, the search engine immediately popped up with another name…" Felicity started off but was interrupted by Lena.

"Alexander Luthor. God DAMMIT! How did I not catch that!? How could I be so STUPID!" Lena exclaimed, punctuating it with a slammed of her fist on the table.

"James said he was your brother? Son of Lillian Luthor of CADMUS?" Felicity winced. "I'm sorry, we don't have CADMUS or an Alexander 'Lex' Luthor on any of our radars at home. I didn't know to look for him." Felicity apologized.

"How could you have known…we never went over him with you. He's been in prison, and we had counted him out since he didn't have any suspicious visitors, not to mention zero access to internet. Once we initially counted Lillian as likely not-involved, he was put on the back-burner. Felicity, do you have his visitor logs?" Lena requested.

"Oh, you really don't know me. Once Cat and Jake brought it up, I dug in. Sweet Fancy Moses there is a lot of data on this dude. I started off with his prison logs, guess who is in his cell block?" Felicity emphasized for effect.

"Steven Levitt. Shit." Winn realized.

"Bingo! There is only one repeat visitor to Lex in the last few months. They only visited 3 times, so it wasn't really a red flag until now. One Harrison Jameson, Irish native, USA transplant as of 2015. According to his dark web practices, it looks like former IRA higher-up turned mercenary. His official record is squeaky clean, and there was nothing in a standard government background check to suggest otherwise. Now get this, his last visit with Lex Luthor, 5 weeks ago. According to security footage, Lex seemed to be dictating quite a bit, Harrison had literally brought in a crayon so he could take notes...a crayon." Felicity rattled off.

"Seriously? All of this…with a frigging crayon?" Lena sigh in disbelief.

"Crayon. He could have easily taken final orders from Lex, then put everything into motion from there. It's pretty obvious now that this Harrison guy is our big lead. And guess what…?" Felicity paused.

"You have an address for Jake Harris!? Please say you tracked him down!" Lena pleaded.

"One Jake Harris just had a nice, stupidly expensive dinner at 'Pierce and Briar' in downtown National City. He has a big busted, crazy made-up, short skirted in tow. His facial recognition matches, might I add, so does his lady friend's as quite a popular high-end call girl. He currently has an open tab at some night club that has a clientele at median age of about 15 years younger than him…of course. I've sent the address, and photos to you guys, including field agents, the Director, and Maggie. It looks like this dude is nice and skeezy, and likes to flaunt around his gross money." Felicity noted. "I'm still looking into him for more info, and will send you guys everything I can get. But…I think we nailed this on the head guys. I hope this pans out for you and Kara! In the meantime, I'm here. Now GO!" Felicity demanded.

Winn was already gone to fill Alex and J'onn in on the details. He had yelled in the control room to Vasquez to get a strike team ready.

He ran toward Kara's yells, wincing when it pierced his heart.

"Rao, NO! Somebody stop him PLEASE! I can't…I can't move! Please! Somebody help me!" Kara cried, as she shook with fear. In her mind, J'onn was in his Martian form, but with half of his face ripped away revealing a cyborg with a red eye, like the original Hank Henshaw.

"Please J'onn NO!" Kara exclaimed fearfully.

J'onn shared a look with Alex, and left the room in hopes it would calm Kara. It worked to an extent, she stopped yelling for the moment, and she feel back asleep from the meds. Winn caught J'onn as he was leaving the room, and gave him a rundown of Felicity's findings. J'onn ran his hand over his head, wondering how they'd missed it. Thank god they'd brought Felicity on. J'onn popped his head in and indicated to Maggie to come follow him. They'd need NCPD back up in order to secure a perimeter. She understood, and immediately got on her phone to their own men in the area, with strict orders not to move in and leave the extraction to the Feds.

By the time they all met back in the control room, Vasquez had been briefed by Lena, and had gathered a sizeable group of field agents to prepare for the take down. They were all mobilized and out the door within 10 minutes. Lena had gone to the locker room to have a few minutes alone to wallow in her thoughts.

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG

The handling of the take down itself was quick, and efficient. They had no interest in the call girl and left her there reeling from the whirlwind of law enforcement. They were in and out within just a couple of minutes, and the shoved a cuffed Harrison Jameson into their trademark, unmarked black van. J'onn sat in the back with Harrison, along with a couple of other agents. The guy was in a disgustingly expensive suit, and had his hair slicked back like he was all that. J'onn read his mind and dug through every nook and cranny. The guy was unremorseful, devious, and not to mention guilty as sin. It was written all over his smug face. He didn't even need to interrogate the guy, he made no effort in hiding his guilt. He seemed proud of his accomplishments, if not irritated that he was caught so quickly. He had a secret though, and 'ace in the hole'. J'onn searched, but the guy was good. It's almost like he new the DEO had a mind reader, and had practiced controlling his thoughts. All J'onn could deduce was that there was something off. He feared it was either another player, or another attack in place for Kara.

Harrison was under heavy guard when they entered the DEO. They didn't want to take any chances with his security. The last thing they needed was for this boujee bastard initiating some sort of escape, or threat to Kara. He sure as hell wasn't talking. They got him into a holding cell, and he just sat calmly, with that same smug smile on his face. It creeped Maggie out, she hadn't encountered anyone with that much swagger, and off putting confidence.

"What do you think about this guy? Super weird right?" Maggie confessed to J'onn.

J'onn nodded his head, but refrained from making any assumptions.

"I have to go brief Alex." He said flatly. "She needs to know we have him in custody. I want her to be alert, and vigilant are her sister. Hopefully the dialysis is doing it's job, and we'll have Kara back soon. She doesn't deserve any of this. Especially from such remorseless assholes."

Lena came around the bend. She needed to see this guy for herself. A Lex worshipper. One of her brother's countless, alien-hating lemmings. How could anyone hate Kara? She was the most genuine, and loving people she'd ever met. Her brother's insane dedication to the Kryptonian's hurt and destruction was unfathomable to her. He wasn't the sweet, caring Lex that helped raise her. And this bastard was the closest person to her brother she'd be meeting since her mother. Willing to give up everything happily just to further her brother's convoluted cause. The second she set eyes on him, she was sick to her stomach. He was happy. He was happy with the pain he'd caused her friend. He was sadistic. Lena turned away, she couldn't look even look at him.

"Lena Luthor. In the flesh." Harrison commented. It was the first words he'd spoken since his arrest.

She whipped around at his words. Startled that suddenly he'd decided to address her.

"Your brother sends his love." The man said coolly, like he knew he'd eventually be in this position. What was up with him? She felt even more queasy with the message from her brother. She hid it well, and walked right up to the bars. The guard went to hold her back, but she stopped short of arm's distance of the cage.

"I hope you rot in here from the inside out. And I hope it takes a nice, lonnnnnnng time. Maybe they'll give you a couple roommates. Ones with…interesting abilities. I know a few people here, maybe I can…put in a good word for you." Lena seethed.

The bastard just smiled slyly at her. Lena shot a look at Agent Davis, the attending guard. She whipped herself around, and quickly exited the room. She ran to the locker room and emptied the contents of her stomach into the first bathroom stall as soon as she got passed the door. As soon as her stomach settled enough, she sat on the floor, leaning against the wall of the stall and let out a choked sob. All of this, all the pain Kara went through was because of her brother. Even the pain and death that that asshole had caused to the victims of his blackmail…Lucas…or Peter. They had all suffered so much. She had to get all of those emotions out somehow, and all she could do was cry on the bathroom floor.

J'onn was briefing Alex, along with Maggie. The anger and hatred they saw on their girl's face was worse than they'd seen in a long time. Since Maxwell Lord and his Black Mercy, Red Kryptonite attacks on Kara. She glanced over at her sister who was still passed out on the medbay bed. Tubes, wires and sensors stick out from her whole body. Kara shivered in her sleep, she twitched, and cried softly. Alex knew that her sister was having horrific nightmares. They could knock Kara out, but it didn't stop the neurotoxin/parasite from wreaking havoc on her brain and nervous system. Alex examined her sister from the few feet away. Kara's hands and fingers were in a distorted position from the nerve agent, her feet were in weird positions. Even Kara's face, they could tell that there was still something wrong with Kara's body's control of her muscles and nerves.

Luckily, since she came in, she'd only had one seizure. It was short. Shorter than the last time she was affected. This time she seemed to feel the nerve pain more. They think that last time, the pain of the Kryptonite infection had overridden the toxin's nerve pain. This time she was feeling the full effect. The severity of her reaction seemed the same as the last time as well, even with the lower amount of infectious exposure. Through a couple of blood tests they'd run, it looks like the toxin does, in fact, multiply in her bloodstream. They also found that when administered with an SSNI blocker, it helped slow the multiplication process. They had also attempted a drug, Gabapentin, which blocked nerve pain by blocking new neuropathways from being formed. That had essentially stopped the multiplication of the parasite and kept it at bay. But obviously, it had already spread enough to affect the certain areas that were visually present, and that Kara complained about whilst she was awake.

The dialysis was running overtime, trying to clear her blood. It was taking a little longer this time it seemed. It may be due to the second exposure, or because of Kara's already affected immune system She did have a couple of blood transfusion after her initial exposure, thanks to Superman. That may have altered her ability to fight off a Kryptonian infection. Since Supergirl's immune system had developed mostly in Krypton, her original Kryptonian immunogens may have been more adept to fighting a the Kryptonian agent. Any or all of the factors could be in play. They just don't know enough about the adaptability of this substance, or what it did. They just knew what has been working.

"Ugh…" After 4 hours of heavy dialysis, Alex and Dr. Hamilton heard a new noise from Kara. It was calm, but still pained.

Kara felt like her muscles and skin had been zapped with lightning bolts and the electricity stuck around to keep the burning sensation.

"Kara? Sweety how do you feel? It's Alex."

"Ow…" Kara groaned out. "Why do I feel like all my nerve endings are on fire?" She questioned with a grimace, opening her eyes. She found her sister's dark chocolate eyes staring down at her in concern, but relief.

"Sorry sis, your nerves had a rough go of it this time. The parasite got to them a lot quicker and forcefully with your blood immunogens down, and with no cuts or mini Kryptonite daggers all over your body it was able to spread easier. We got it to stop though. How do you feel other than that?" Alex probed carefully.

"Mushy? Brain mush? Does that make sense? It's hard to…put…things together." Kara forced out. Her brain felt like it was pounding lightning bolts through it at each heartbeat. It made it hard to connect words and sentences together. It was so distracting, she also had a little bit of a hard time with comprehension. She understood about 60% of what Alex had told her about the specifics of what happened.

"Mushy makes sense baby. What else?"

"Like, lightning bolts? Really twitchy." Kara got out. She was so tired from the physically taxing few hours.

"OK, I get that. I'm going to take you off something that might make you feel a little better after a while. It might take some time, just hang in there sweetheart, OK? Any hallucinations?" Dr. Hamilton asked.

Kara thought for a second, but she hadn't really heard the last question. "Huh?" she sleepily grunted out?

"Are you still seeing things? Anything scary?" Alex rephrased.

Kara nodded, but then shook her head no.

"I don't think so…at the…DEO?" Kara asked.

"Yeah baby. They picked you up at that apartment." Alex explained.

Kara's nodded, then it looked like a realization came across her. She closed her eyes, with a crinkled forehead. She forced her mouth shut, biting her bottom lip. She exhaled.

"Oh." Was all she responded with. "Lucas."

"Yeah, I'm so sorry Kara. He was involved. From what I understand, he was forced like the others." Alex took in the disappointment in her sister's eyes. She continued when she didn't get a response.

"Hey, I know this has to hurt. You can talk to me sweety." Alex ran her hand over Kara's hair soothingly.

"Is he here?" Kara asked. Alex nodded. "Everybody else?"

"They're OK. With got some more information about who's being all this. Felicity came through big time." Alex admitted. She was apprehensive to give Kara the details, but decided to give her the opportunity to ask on her own terms.

"Who?" Kara asked simply. She didn't think she'd be able to put together anything complicated, but she wanted to know who set her up for all this.

"It was Lex." Alex stated simply. Kara darted her eyes over to her big sister.

"You're sure?!" Kara said louder than anything so far.

"We're sure." Alex confirmed. "Through another middle man. The one who threatened Lucas."

Kara nodded, and closed her eyes again to try and process all of it.

"That another thing…Lucas…His name is Peter. Peter Levitt. His background is pretty much exactly what he told you earlier. Just omitting his predicament. It turns out, when he got you out of Noonan's, he'd gone off script. He wasn't supposed to save you. You were supposed to be exposed. He planted the tracker, but after it shorted and you guys showed up, he tried to stall by protecting your location. I know it's confusing right now, and hard to figure out. But Kara, J'onn read his mind and we watched him very closely. He seem really sincere in his care for you. Lex threaten to kill his brother, he didn't have the details of the bomb. Nor did he know about the toxin." Alex explained further to her sister, who seemed glazed over. She'd likely have to repeat some of it.

"Yeah…" Kara whispered. "OK…I…I have to close my eyes. Tired." Kara slowly slurred out, as she closed her eyes, and rolled to her side the best she could with the tubes and sensors.

"Ok baby…go to sleep. I love you." Alex stroke her sister's hair again.

"love you…" Kara breathed out in exhaustion. She was already almost asleep. Alex plopped down on her chair besides Kara, interlocking her finger with her sister's.

"This fucking sucks." Alex uttered to herself. Dr. Hamilton just "Mmm"ed in agreement.

Kara proceeded to dream about her hands in Lucas'…then he squeezed and her powers were gone. He kept squeezing her hand until it was crushing pain. Kara yelled in pain, and tried to remove her hand. Lucas just grabbed her other wrist and snapped it easily in his other hand. His face was distorted, evil looking, like a demon. The pain was unbearable, her fear was overwhelming. He pulled her closer, and brought her face to his. She turned away, but he dropped her wrist, and with his free hand, he grabbed her chin. He turned her face back toward his. His face was back to that caring face she had come to know from him. He was whispered _"I'm sorry"_ and kissed her on the lips. Upon releasing her lips from his. He gave her a look of despair, and brought his free hand back again. He pulled is arm back, and forcefully hit her hard in the chest, forcing her against the wall with a Kara shaped hole. She fell to the ground, she couldn't breathe. The pounding in her chest was too hard, too fast. She tried to get her breath. She closed her eyes, and tried to breathe deep, but she couldn't get any air. She was suffocating.

She heard beeping and people yelling her name. Her brain was foggy…when she reopened her eyes in fear, she still couldn't take a deep breath.

"Kara! Deep breaths! In and out…I know it hurts, and it's scary. Just calm down please! Can you hear me!?"

It was her sister's voice. It had been a dream. Of course it was a dream. She was hyperventilating. That was what was accounting for the pain and pounding in her chest. She was dizzy when she tried to move her gaze towards her sister's voice. She took a shuttered breath to ease the queasiness.

"Take off the Kryptonite bracelets!" Alex demanded.

"We aren't sure she's out of the woods Danvers! It's too dangerous!" Dr. Hamilton pleaded.

"She'll be ok! Take them off!" Alex yelled again.

" _Yes…please! Take of the Kryptonite. PLEASE"_ Kara thought. She was still to queasy to try and talk, but she found Alex's eyes and pleaded.

Alex took it open herself to unlock the bracelets and turn them off completely. The pain in Kara's chest subsided, as well as the pain in her whole body. It was still there, and the exhaustion was still there, but it was bearable. Kara immediately sat up and grabbed on to Alex's arms to steady herself. Alex noticed her sister go completely pale, and she had a sick look on her face.

"Bin!" Alex yelled toward an orderly agent. They threw one toward her, and she caught it in time for her to get it in front of Kara, who immediately started retching. She was crying, and sick, and couldn't breathe right. Alex also had tears running down her face. Kara held the bin, as Alex held her sister's head and hair up. She whispered soothing Kyptonian again. Kara's panic eased, she was heaving less, and taking deeper breaths. Alex started to relax a little with Kara's eventually change in condition.

"Everybody out. Now!" Alex snapped. She felt bad somewhere about her short demeanor with those just trying to help, but didn't have the time to care right then.

Dr. Hamilton started to protest, but she looked at Alex's face. The agent meant business. Maybe some quiet would help Kara settle. She reluctantly stepped out, along with the other staff, and closed the door.

Kara breathed deeply along with Alex through tears for another 10 minutes or so. Alex had laid her down again, but this time getting on the bed with her sister. She laid flat, and rested Kara's head on her shoulder. Alex kissed her sister lightly on the crown of her head, and cradled her head and shoulders in her arms.

Unbeknownst to them, Lena and Maggie watched from outside the med bay. Lena face was blank, in shock. Tears were flowing down her cheeks about what her friend was going through, but otherwise, she was expressionless. Maggie noticed Lena's far away gaze, and lightly took her new friend's hand, interlocking with her fingers. Lena squeezed tighter than Maggie expected. It was like the CEO was holding onto the physical contact for dear life. If she couldn't hold her best friend, she needed someone to ground her.


	24. Chapter 24

It hurts again, and again. Every time Kara regained consciousness. Her headache had just increased with her lack of proper sleep, and fatigue from nerve pain. It felt like the most painful pins and needles she could ever describe, but all over her body. Everything that touched her felt like stabbing pain. The only touch she could tolerate for more than a few seconds was her sister's and friend's affectionate embraces. In the hours following her breakdown, after her nightmare about Lucas, her friends and family were allowed in to Kara's room. No more than 2 permitted, for fear of overwhelming Kara's sluggish and anxious brain. Cat Grant was called in. Alex felt she deserved to be in the loop after everything Kara's boss had done for her. Alex also knew how much comfort Cat had provided her in those first few hours of terror after the original attack.

Each guest was briefed prior to their visitation. They were to expect Kara to be in a lot of pain, and somewhat agitated. They were to expect her to not be able to comprehend all of the conversation. Her speech was somewhat erratic and slurred due to the (hopefully temporary) brain injury sustained. It was best to speak quietly, with Kara's headache. If Kara seemed fearful, or confused, they were to call Alex in immediately. In those instances, it was possible that Kara was going back into a hallucination or waking dream. Last but not least, was to ask permission before touching.

Lena and Winn were the first in the room. Winn was apprehensive to touch his best friend for fear of hurting her, but Lena held out hope that her gentle touch could still be good for her friend. After asking Kara if she could hold her hand, Kara held up her arm and reached out her hand to meet Lena's. As Lena took it, Kara kept her eyes locked on Lena's and took a couple of deep breaths. Kara let a couple of tears go, just relieved that she could finally see her friends again after hours of fear and constant pain. She didn't have the control to be able to squeeze Lena's hand, but Lena did that for them both. Lena kissed her friend's knuckles and ran her other hand through Kara's hair. It actually felt nice to the alien. It was the only part of her body that didn't currently hurt. All Kara wanted to do was get up and walk out of that stupid room.

Kara looked over at a heartbroken Winn. It took her a few minutes to pick up on his hesitation. She lifted her hand, and opened and closed it a couple of times to coax him into holding her hand. He took it so gently she barely felt it.

"Winn. Help me…. sit. Please? Wanna…sit up. Hate this…" Kara begged the best she could. Winn looked out through the viewing window at Alex. He mouthed that she wanted to sit up. Alex's look was one of apprehension and concern, but ultimately, she nodded her head and gave Winn the go ahead.

Both Winn and Lena stood up. Winn adjusted the bed up so Kara was a little higher up for support. Each friend grabbing a hand and an elbow, It took them two tries, and more than one grunt from Kara. Once she was up in a seated position, her mood seemed to improved greatly. Alex could see the beads of sweat on Kara's face and neck after just a minute or so from the effort. She let it slide because her sister let out more than one actual smile. She knew Kara was exerting herself, but maybe it was healing for her to move around. For Kara the pins and needles didn't subside, nor did her headache or the colors swirling behind her eyes. She hated the not moving and feeling like an invalid more than the pain. She was determined to get up and about as quickly as possible. Especially since she wasn't sure if the nerve pain would EVER subside completely. Kara immediately tried to push that thought far to the back of her mind.

"Is that ok? Are you in too much pain? What can I do?" Winn stammered, having seen the expression on Kara's face.

Lena locked eyes with Kara, and then looked back up to Winn.

"She's alright. She can handle it." Lena nodded at Winn, she was tried to convey her thoughts to the nervous man. "Right Kara?" Kara turned her head toward Winn's direct and lifted her lips to a faint smile for reassurance.

Her vision was a lot more swirly and unfocused now that her blood pressure had increased with the effort. She could see the shapes of her friend's well enough to tell them apart, but the colors were blurred. She couldn't confidently give proper descriptions of her friends in that moment, but it was all worth it to be in a sitting position. Kara was determined to have Alex let her get up and walk around soon. She was getting nervous that the symptoms hadn't subsided yet, especially now that her blood was clear from the dialysis. She didn't have any background info on a second exposure, or what symptoms would last and for how long this time. She had been thinking that the faster she relearn how to go about life with her current handicaps, the faster she'd get used to them if they were permanent.

Unbeknownst to Kara, Alex has been thinking the same thing. The exposure to the same toxin had been much different the second time. Longer, more severe. As much as Alex hated the idea, she was a doctor, and the doctor in her said that the best thing for Kara would likely be mobility rehabilitation. As soon as possible, before her nerves got any worse. Alex watched as her sister's friends talked to her and held her gently. Kara was so loved, but she had been through so much in the past weeks. It wasn't fair. Kara's whole life, all the pain and sadness, just wasn't fair. God, she hoped Kara's rehab would help, and she'd get past all of this relatively unscathed. At least she has her powers still, so she can't be outwardly injured. Plus, once she gets her mental faculties back, and her vision improves, Kara could fly, which could minimize ground impact and nerve pain.

Lena was speaking with Kara about something mundane at work, when Kara's heartrate started to increase for seemingly no reason. Winn looked up at the monitor, concerned with the beeping. He whipped around and locked eyes with Alex. He needed to confirm whether this was serious or not. Alex looked more worried than he'd like.

"Hey Kar? Why don't we give you a break huh? We'll send Alex back in, and James and Maggie can pop in later? Maybe J'onn. Sound good?" Winn spoke, then waited anxiously for a response. His friend had started to glaze over a bit. Her breathing quickened noticeably with the increase in heartrate. "Kara? Can you hear me?" Winn asked again, louder and more franticly. He tried to steer her face to look at his, but upon touching her face with his hand, Kara immediately smacked his hand away and jerked backward. She looked terrified, and in a panic. She jumped backward, but into Lena, who caught her before she fell off the bed completely. Alex rushed in and assist Lena in lifting Kara back up safely onto the bed. Kara fumbled with her limbs, unable to properly use her motor functions at 100% to stabilize herself. She was forced to lean painfully on the two women holding her upright.

Alex recognized the cloudy eyes of her sister. Kara was going through another period of confusion and probable hallucinations. They were lessening slightly, and were less frequent, but still happening once every hour or so. During them, Alex and the other doctors found it best to clear the room, and keep everything quiet and calm for Kara. Too much stimulation in that state, and Kara would get more agitated, and harder to bring back to the surface. Lena and Winn immediately left the room in the wake of the episode. Kara cried, and thrashed about. Alex stood back, and only intervened if she thought Kar would hurt herself. All along, Alex spoke ever so softly to Kara, reassuring her of reality, and that everything was ok. She reminded Kara over and over again that the images behind her eyes weren't real. Dr. Hamilton popped in to check Kara's stats and the machine readouts. Her poker face was good for the family and friends waiting outside the room. But Alex could read the charts as well, and she knew that there hadn't been worse numbers than the previous episodes, but they also hadn't much improved. It had been over 12 hours since the second exposure, they'd hoped Kara's motor function and brain chemistry would have stabilized by then. Dr. Hamilton pulled out a syringe, and shot a relaxant into Kara's IV. It lower Kara's thrashing and involuntary movements, but she was still visibly afraid. It had broken Alex's heart over and over again. There must be SOMETHING she could do!


	25. Chapter 25

25

Smug, arrogant Harrison sat in the interrogation room for the 6th hour straight. His hair was still perfectly in place, his suit still crisp and professional looking. Not one part of him looked tired or disheveled in any way. Their interrogation had gotten nowhere. At this point, it was early morning and Maggie, Alex, and J'onn were getting exhausted. None of them had gotten anything close to a regular night's sleep since before all this started. Any time that Alex wasn't keeping a hawk eye on Kara, she was over at the interrogation. All of them frustrated with their main suspect's abhorrent behavior and nonchalant attitude. They all knew he had something up his sleeve but couldn't get close enough to even start to figure it out.

Lena didn't have the stomach to see the man again. She said what she needed to say, and she didn't need him trying to fuck with her again. She had enough to deal with. The CEO had turned to working with Felicity, digging into Lex and Harrison's online dealings. At least, trying to dig into their dealings. The men had done an excellent job of keeping everything they could untraceable, or on paper. Now that the 2 main conspirators of the threat have been effectively neutralized, Alex gave Felicity a key to her apartment to stay at temporarily. It wasn't like Alex was using it. Felicity also got a temporary work badge from the DEO, as well as Lena.

Lena was taking a quick nap in the on-duty room. There were bunks in there for agents to sleep on after or during long hour missions. Lena had her second in command dealing with the daily ins and outs of L Corp. She wanted to be solely focused on getting all of this crap figured out. Winn was busy running all of the other missions the DEO was working on, on his own. Felicity was only here for the short term. Eventually, her Earth 1 friends would come through the portal needing her help. Lena heard the distinctive tone of her phone notifications. Her personal notifications, she had silenced her work notifications. She tiredly grumbled as she picked up her phone, it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the brightness. As soon as she read the email, she sat up so quickly that she bumped her head on the top bunk.

"Shit! Goddammit!" Lena cursed to herself, as she got up and ran out to find Alex or Maggie with the information she'd just received. She found Alex in Kara's room with Cat Grant. Urgently, she banged on the glass of the large window, startling everyone in the room. All 3 women were anxious as soon as they saw Lena's face. Alex jumped up and ran out to meet to frantic woman. Not wanting to freak Kara out even more, Lena grabbed Alex's arm and pulled her into the closest room out of view.

"Lena, what the hell?" Alex started, trying to get information as quickly as possible. Lena merely turned her phone screen toward Alex's face to explain her demeanor.

 **1:04**

 **1:03**

 **1:02**

 **1:01…**

"What is...!? Oh SHIT! The suicide attackers…the bomber…Trap!" Alex yelled as she ran out of the room. Lena was right on her heels, still barefoot and disheveled hair still down around her face and shoulders. They headed toward interrogation, luckily J'onn was standing and speaking with the guard on duty. Alex's mind wanted to panic, find Maggie, grab Kara and run, but she needed to try to shut down the threat.

"Bomb!" She shouted as they neared J'onn. He suddenly stood at alert.

"Where!?"

"Not sure, but from history, it's probably in that douchebag!" Alex pointed toward Harrison as she was running by J'onn and into the room.

"Alex wait!" J'onn yelled as he ran after her into the room.

"Where is it! Is it on you!? WHAT'S THE TRIGGER! WE'LL GIVE YOU IMMUNITY, WHATEVER YOU WANT!" Alex screamed frantically in his face.

Lena was outside the room on her work phone with Felicity trying to nail down any signals going out or into the facility. She looked at her personal phone again…

 **00:41**

 **00:40**

 **00:39…**

"Come on Felicity! We need this NOW!" Lena yelled, as she ran back toward Kara's room. She saw Maggie coming from the ladies' room on her way, grabbed Maggie's arm, and ran her into Kara's room.

"Lena! What the hell was that earlier!?" Cat yelled, as she stood, afraid.

Kara was sitting up on her own strength out of fear.

"We're going…NOW! Help me get her up! Felicity what have you got, PLEASE!" Lena screamed on the phone, now on speaker. She simultaneously put an arm under Kara's right shoulder and pulled her up. Indicating for Kara to help her out. Kara yelled out in pain from the sudden movement and headache that immediately started pounding. Kara's vision went spotty right away when her feet hit the ground. She would have fallen if Maggie didn't get right under her left shoulder. The two women ran, and practically dragged Kara down the hall away from interrogation, and toward the control room, heading to the door as fast as possible. As they ran passed, Felicity screamed she was almost on the signal, just to give her a little bit more time.

"No more time! Leave it!" Lena yelled back over her shoulder.

"I can get it!" Felicity screamed back, as Winn ran up to her side.

Lena's phone started beeping…

 **00:15**

 **00:14**

 **00:13…**

"Felicity you need to find cover!" Winn yelled, trying to grab her and drag her from the computer.

"NO! NO! I got it! I think it's a pacemaker! I think it's in a chest!"

"No time Felicity!" Maggie yelled. They were dragging Kara toward the stairwell, it was the best cover they could think of. Cat was running ahead, opening the door to the stairs.

"COME ON!" Cat yelled.

"Shit!" Felicity finally relented and ran around the other side of the Control Room desk, and braced under it.

 **00:05**

 **00:04**

 **00:03…**

Winn was about to close the door to the stairwell, as he saw Alex, J'onn and other agents running down the hall toward the Control Room at full speed. Alex jumped over the desk to the other side of the barrier, where Felicity was hiding. J'onn had changed form and flew off the balcony with a couple of the agents that were behind in his arms.

Those in the stairwell heard Lena's phone **"BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP"**

Maggie fell on top of a screaming and crying Kara who was trapped in her hallucination, headache, and her body screaming in pain.

The explosion rocked the entire top half of the building. It blew the stairwell door out and through the window behind the huddled group of agents and civilians. It hit Winn's back and side on it's way out. The force definitely broke a couple of ribs and possibly his shoulder or arm, as he shielded Cat's head and body with his. It knocked both of them into the other agents in the stairwell, and backward. A couple agents stumbled down the few steps to the landing. Maggie and Kara got through relatively unscathed. Maggie got a hinge from the door to the side of her head, but only hard for a superficial head laceration. Lena was one of the ones who was thrown down the few steps. She got some bumps and bruises from the fall, and some small cuts from the shards of glass from the shattered window. Nothing she could even feel with her adrenaline pumping.

After the explosion had settled and everyone got their wits about them, Maggie got up to make sure Kara wasn't injured. She wasn't, so Maggie jumped up, and yelled to whoever was listening to help Kara. She immediately ran toward the now non-existent door leading into the Control Room to find her fiancé.

"Alex! Danvers CALL OUT! Danvers!" Maggie yelled, as she headed over to the table barrier. It was black in the room with smoke. Parts of the equipment and some stations were on fire. The windows of the balcony were all blown out, and there were computers scattered all of the floor.

"Here." She heard a raspy, choked voice from the far side of the desks.

"Alex!" Maggie yelled as she ran toward the voice. It turned out to be Felicity, who was crouched over next to Alex. Alex cradled her shoulder, and the singed hair on her slightly burnt left arm. Felicity had a few burns as well on her bare legs. They both had lacerations all over their bodies, apparent through the rips in their clothing. The other agents who had taken cover were in the same condition. Maggie chose not to notice the blood and limbs that were littered closer to the hallway towards interrogation. She reached Alex and Felicity. Alex hadn't called out, it seemed she was a little shell shocked from the blast. Everyone in the room was choking on the slowly fading black smoke and soot. Both of the women had traces of blood dripping down their ears and neck from the force of the blast. As Maggie went to examine Alex's arm, her fiancé let out a grunting scream.

"It's dislocated, I think." Felicity provided. Alex just nodded quickly.

"Medic! Are their any medics!?" Maggie called out.

She heard somebody call back. "Working on triage! There are serious injuries over here!" They announced from the area closer to the blast. At that moment, J'onn flew quickly back into the room from the balcony. He had already placed the 2 agents he could save down on the ground. They worked on forming a perimeter until the local police could arrive.

"J'onn! They need help with the seriously injured. I have Danvers and Felicity. There are also injuries in the stairwell. They could use some transportation." Maggie alerted.

"Already on it Sawyer!" J'onn called back. He already had a severely injured Vasquez in his arms, as he flew her down to toward the hospital.

"Danvers, babe look at me, can you hear me?" Maggie held Alex's face gently, inspecting her eyes for recognition. Alex blinked a couple of times, and looked into her girl's eyes. She nodded gently. It seemed more like shaky twitches, but Maggie was satisfied. "Can you walk with me? Felicity? Can you walk?" Both women nodded to the affirmative. Felicity squeaked out a quick 'yeah…". The younger woman had started shaking from the adrenaline.

"Alex, I'm going to have to pop your shoulder back into place before we start. It's going to hurt, but you'll feel better after." Maggie explained clearly. Alex would have known all the logistics if she were in her right mind, as a doctor. At that time, Maggie saw it was clear that Alex was more rattled than anytime she'd ever seen her. She knew she was going to have to just do it, and apologize later. With no further explanation, Maggie braced her foot against the wall, held Alex in place with her one hand, and yanked Alex's arm back into place with her other. Alex let out a strangled scream, then went quiet immediately, huffing and puffing through the pain. That definitely snapped the agent out of her fog. She was alert, and grunting.

"Ow. Jesus. Let's get out of here." She said as she continued to cradle her injured arm, carefully not to irritate her burns along with her shoulder. Maggie stood, and held her hand out to help Felicity. The tech genius stood on shaky legs, and leaned against the desk immediately once she realized she was barefoot, and both of her feet felt as though they'd been burned. She looked down to inspect them, and luckily they'd only sustained 1st or 2nd degree burns. It would make walking very uncomfortable, but she could make it out of the building at least. Maggie bent to help Alex out from under the desk. With Alex only able to use one hand for leverage, it took a couple of tries, but finally she was standing and they were on their way to the stairwell. It was going to be slow going, but Maggie was confident they'd be OK. Just in time it seemed as they were all coughing pretty regularly by that point due to the smoke. By the time they reached the stairs, Maggie was having trouble seeing out of her right eye due to the blood from the cut on her head. She asked Felicity to wipe the blood for her so they could make it out quicker. Felicity complied, just as they noticed the commotion on the stairs. Kara was still screaming and crying, as Lena and Cat had her laying down to try and settle her. Alex tried to stop and take care of her sister, but Maggie kept them moving.

"Lena and Cat have her. She's OK, she isn't injured. She's going to be alright, we need to get you and Felicity out to take care these burns…let them take care of her." Maggie consoled.

"I won't let her out of my sight." Cat confirmed. "We'll get her downstairs, and into my car."

Lena, who also seemed to be in somewhat of an adrenaline crash shock nodded in agreement. They 3 women continued down to the landing to find 2 other agents tending to Winn who had been knocked out from the blast. They had a shirt over a head laceration, and a belt holding his arm tightly to his side to keep it braced to his injured ribs.

Maggie spoke up, "One of you go up and wait for the Director to come back in on his next round to the hospital. Tell him Winn needs attention." She called it out as the women passed by and continued down the stairs. Felicity was slower going than Maggie and Alex, as she held onto the railing heavily for support on her ever-increasing pain on her burns on her legs and feet. Maggie noticed Felicity's heavier breathing as they continued down, and she slowed up to accommodate the injured woman. She couldn't help but revise her thoughts to calling Felicity a hero. The woman stayed until the last possible second trying to help people she didn't even know. She admired the character on the seemingly sheepish young woman.

Within another 10 minutes, they had Alex and Felicity into Maggie's car on the way to the hospital.

Within 30 minutes, Lena and Cat had Kara into Cat's car. They went to Cat's secret penthouse at the office. She could control who was in and out of the office, as opposed to who was in the lobby and halls of her personal home. Kara continued to yell out as they slowly maneuvered her into the elevator, and onto Cat's couch. Lena plopped out on the far end of the couch, and propped Kara's feet in her lap. She was starting to feel the ache from the explosion, and subsequent fall on the stairs. All three women were covered in soot, dirt and debris. Cat went to get cleaned up, then helped Lena up and into the bathroom so the woman could get a shower. They both needed to get Kara clean, and all of their scrapes and cuts taken care of. Cat made the call to Maggie to let her know they were all ok, and the first aid in the apartment was fine for their injuries. They would hole up there until Maggie, Felicity, and Alex were released from the hospital, and could get over to meet them.


	26. Chapter 26

26

"Kara, let me see your arm please." Cat spoke softly, as not to scare her protégé even further. She and Lena had talked Kara down from the hallucinations that had been kicked off by the blast, but they hadn't had much luck getting her to open up since the car. Kara was despondent since they brought her up to the penthouse. By the time the two women had cleaned themselves up, Kara had balled herself up on the couch with her hands wrapped around her head. They weren't sure if it was out of fear, if it was from the volume of the blast versus her superhearing, or if she even had superhearing at that point. Her healing was definitely not as quick as usual, but they were uncertain as to the state of her other powers.

"Please sweetie, we need to clean you up so your cuts don't get infected. Remember last time? Your infection? How much it hurt, and how scary it was?" Lena tried to pry her out of her own head by pulling up something real.

Kara lifted her head, but looked to the side as if she saw something. In the room. The other women looked at each other with concern.

"Kara? Are you OK?" Cat asked gently.

"Sh…She's not there." Kara grumbled through tears.

"Who?" Lena asked.

"I want her to be there, but she's not really there." Kara continued, confusing her friends.

"We're here Kara, try to focus on us. Can you look at us?" Cat prodded, unsure of how to proceed.

Kara looked away from the invisible presence. She met both of the women's eyes.

"I want my Mom." Kara let out, as she let new tears fall. "Why is she here, but not here? I want her here, but if she's not really here I want her to go away." Kara spoke slowly, and in circles. Her brain clearly not up to full capacity after the toxin

"Oh Kara, maybe you can take comfort in what your mind is trying to show you. It's not scary, maybe it's just letting you see your mom because it can help you calm down?" Lena tried. "Sometimes when I am sad, or scared, I see my mother. She's been gone for so long, that my brain just let's me see her face."

Cat didn't know Lena very well, so all of this was telling. She never imagined ever WANTING to see her mother when she wasn't there. 'Let's face it, no one wants to see my mother.' She thought to herself.

Kara looked at Lena, then off to the side again. She nodded.

"Ok." Kara whispered. Neither woman knew what that meant, but Kara raised her arm for Cat to address her wounds.

"We'll need to get you in the bath to wash off some of this soot and smoke. We'd rather do it sooner than later, but if you need to wait for Alex, than we will wait. It would be better for you to get cleaned up as soon as possible." Lena explained to Kara slowly. She knew Kara was still in quite a lot of pain, and add on the new cuts and bruises, Kara must have been very uncomfortable. Cat wished she had some of Kara's pain medication, but that had unfortunately been blown to bits.

"It's ok. I can shower." Kara said quietly.

"You might want to take a bath, you might get dizzy standing." Lena stated.

"I have a shower seat in the closet. Would you be ok with that Kara? Do you think you can sit up for long enough? We can help you if you need us. I've seen it all before anyway." Cat offered.

"Yeah, ok."

"OK. Let's get you up."

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Alex and Felicity flinched in the ER triage area. Their burns seeming to be the worst injuries. They both had ringing in their ears and probable temporary hearing loss. Maggie insisted on waiting to get the other women settled before allowing her head wound to get taken care of. She had just been holding a gauze square to her head to stave off the bleeding so that she could see. Alex had a brace holding her injured arm to her abdomen.

Alex asked for Winn and Vasquez's condition. Winn was seeming to come around across the ER. He awaited x-rays for his ribs and arm, most definitely having broken bones. Vasquez was on her way to surgery for shrapnel injuries and a head injury. Felicity was going to be given crutches to ease the pressure on her feet while she walked. All of her other cuts and burns on her legs were deemed superficial. Some of the less injured medical staff from the DEO was assisting in triage in the ER. Their fake FBI badges sufficient enough for the hospital to allow access.

J'onn had gone back to the DEO to direct security and emergency personnel. Most of the Control Room computers had been destroyed, along with much of the visible classified data. He had called on the less injured agents to stay behind to minimize access to the alien holding cells, which had luckily been largely untouched. They were in a secure section of the facility. The devastation in the Control Room and Med Bay on the other hand was massive. The fires were under control after about 45 minutes. Not long after the fire personnel had arrived. Since they were on the top floor, the damage from the blast had been contained to the top two floors. The structural integrity of the building was intact, with the exception of the floor in the direct range of the blast. Some of the floor of the top floor, and ceiling of the floor beneath had collapsed.

J'onn had to compartmentalize his emotions upon assisting with the fatal injuries and DOA agents. The paramedics and firefighters had tried to remove him from the building for safety, but he made it clear that due to the secure nature of the facility, some personnel were essential. The ground outside of the building was littered with rubble, and some injured bystanders. Emergency personnel had a triage unit set up outside and transported the injured to the hospital as necessary. Luckily, only a few pedestrians had been injured badly enough.

Once Alex was satisfied with the level of care her, Felicity and Maggie had received, she signed them all out early using her medical expertise and FBI badge. They hobbled out of the ER, and into Maggie's car. Maggie drove, after passing a concussion test. The headed straight to Catco with Maggie's police sirens blaring. Alex was beside herself with worry for her sister. They were all anxious to get clean and out of their singed and soot covered clothes. Rushing, the best they could, up to Cat's penthouse, they headed straight for the couch where Kara and Lena were sitting. Kara was in a ball again, staring off into space when Alex's face filled her vision. Cat walked briskly toward them when she heard the elevator. None of their phones were working, so they hadn't had any contact with each other. Cat sat Felicity down on an armchair, and ran to the back bedroom to grab some clothes for all three. Maggie stood by Lena, inspecting the CEO's injuries a little further. Lena had more than a few bad bruises, and countless superficial cuts and scrapes from broken glass and flying shrapnel. Cat was able to tend to some of them, but both of their focus had been on Kara. Now that Alex was there, Lena was happy to hand over Kara's care. She was in quite a bit of pain and felt pretty queasy from the adrenaline crash. She was still very shaky, as Maggie helped her up and into one of the bedrooms to sit in a quieter area.

"Hey, you'll be alright girl. It's nothing serious, but I know you feel like crap right now. How is your head, any pain or double vision?" Maggie asked, looking at the woman's eyes for any signs of obvious concussion. She could already see the pale, sick looking face on Lena.

Lena just shook her head 'No', her head didn't really hurt any more than an understandable headache from the force of the blast. Maggie felt around Lena's head for any knots or cuts indicating a head injury, but luckily found nothing.

"You really should go to the hospital to check for breaks. Does anything stand out as hurting more than everything else?" Maggie asked.

"No, it's just an all-around ache. I just wanna lie down for a while. Did you guys bring any meds? I know I could use them, as well as Kara and Cat." Lena requested.

"Yeah, both Alex and Felicity got them from the hospital. We can all share until we can get more from the DEO." Maggie assured. Her face falling visibly at the thought of the destroyed offices. Lena just nodded her head tiredly.

"I'm feeling kind of sick. It's just from adrenaline, but I'm gonna lie down if that's ok? If it's not too much trouble, could you grab me the meds whenever you get a chance?"

"Absolutely, I'll be back in a few minutes. Just relax alright?" Maggie agreed.

As Maggie headed back in the living room, she noticed Alex had coaxed Kara into laying down on her sister's lap. Cat was making some tea for everyone, having settle Felicity into another bedroom to get off her feet. Felicity was no doubt going to be anxious to get back to Earth 1 after all that had happened. Cat had laid some clothes out for both Alex and Maggie. Alex had just gotten changed right there in the living room. Cat had helped her out of her shirt, and into a tee shirt and shorts. Maggie went over to Cat first to relay Lena's pain med request, then straight to her girlfriend to give her a kiss and get some peace of mind that Alex was actually alright.

"Shit Danvers, you look like hell." Maggie tried to keep it as light as possible.

"You look amazing." Alex retorted.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm gonna shower and get changed. Will you be ok here for a little bit with Cat and Kara?"

"Sure, go ahead. Get clean." Alex said quietly. She wasn't about to leave Kara's side, even if she was dirty. Kara hadn't moved since Alex coaxed her to laying with her. Kara was once again staring, unmoving, at nothing.

Maggie knelt down to Kara's eye level to get a look at her friend. Maggie lightly lifted her hand and caressed Kara's hair a bit, trying to get her attention.

"Hi little Danvers. You in there?" Maggie asked quietly.

Kara closed her eyes slowly and nodded her head affirmative. When she opened them back up, she made eye contact with Maggie. She lifted her hand up to Maggie's and held it for reassurance. Kara and Maggie gave each other a half smile. Maggie held Kara's hand in both of hers for a second, before getting up and kissing the superhero's head on her way up. Maggie then hovered over Kara, gently kissed her girlfriend on the lips, and gave Cat a nod on her way to the shower. It was a silent message stating to take care of her girls. After Maggie had passed by, Cat brought a tray in to Alex and Kara. Although, Cat doubted she'd be able to convince Kara to drink anything in her state.


	27. Chapter 27

27

"Total casualties is at 22 sir. 3 of them alien prisoners. 1 of them, obviously, the terrorist in interrogation. The prisoner in holding survived with minimal injuries. We suffered 18 total from our team. All injured have been accounted for, and either treated or released." reported the medical personnel in charge, Dr. Kazmeric.

J'onn sighed and nodded his understanding to the doctor.

"Make sure all of the other alien prisoners are secure, and treated if need be. They are criminals, but had nothing to do with the attack, and deserve proper medical care, like the rest of us. Have security bring the prisoner in holding, Peter, to my office. I want to make certain the extent of his knowledge about the attack, if any. Thanks for all of your hard work. I know your team is shorthanded. When all of our patients being treated in house are stable, go get some rest. I'm sure we'll need you and your team fresh and well rested." J'onn replied solemnly. The doctor nodded and headed back toward med bay.

J'onn looked around, once again assessing the damage caused. It was going to take time to get everything back to full running order. The civilian emergency personnel had cleared the control room area, and his engineers were working on the secure areas to assess stability. Luckily, the damages were limited to a certain blast radius. He shook his head and turned to meet security, with Peter, in his office for debriefing.

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"I'm satisfied he didn't know anything about Harrison's intentions. His original statement rings true. I'll consider his conditional release, based on what we know. I don't believe he deserves imprisonment for crimes he committed under duress. He clearly wasn't aware of the big picture plan. I'll accept his statement, and he'll be treated as the other victims of this whole nightmare. He'll be under surveillance around the clock, and on house arrest with no access to a computer for now. That is until we get everyone together and discuss further action." J'onn briefed Alex over their call.

"That'll due for now. I'll talk to Kara about it when she wakes up, as long as she's up to it. J'onn, she's still showing symptoms from the toxin. I'm not sure what's going to happen, this exposure has been different than the original." Alex sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm scared. What if it's permanent?"

"We can't think like that. We have to have faith she'll fight it off. She's strong Alex. This is new territory, yes, but it doesn't mean we have to think the worst. Not yet. Give her time." J'onn encouraged his friend. He had to hide as much of his own fear that he could. It was his job to take care of them, and feeding into their fears wouldn't be helpful to anyone.

"Alright, thanks. Give me updates when you have information about rebuilding and when everything gets back online. As soon as the med bay is secure, and Kara's sun lamps are operational, let me know. We'll bring her back in."

"Affirmative. Take care of yourself. Get some sleep Danvers. That's an order."

Alex smiled faintly. "Yes sir. See ya."

Alex disconnected the call. She had to let Kara know what was going on with Peter. She wasn't sure how her sister would react, but she wasn't about to keep her in the dark. Not about that. Alex headed back to the couch. Kara had finally fallen asleep in the bedroom with Lena. Alex was able to shower, and meet Maggie, and Cat back in the living room before she got the call from J'onn. She headed back in to update her friend and girlfriend. When she was finished, the women sat with their scotch in their hands, and sipped it in silence for a few minutes.

"What about Supergirl?" Cat said out of nowhere.

"What do you mean?" Alex questioned.

"I mean…she wasn't at the bomb site to help. She's been out of commission since the Noonan's bombing. The natives are getting restless without information. I need to give them something, or they'll start panicking, and the crime rate will skyrocket." Cat explained.

Alex hadn't even had time to think about any of that. She was still reeling from the attacks.

"God dammit. I hadn't even thought…We need to figure something out. Quick. We can't afford a citywide issue. Not right now, we don't have the manpower on the ground, or in the DEO. Shit." Alex worried.

"I can make a statement." The 3 women heard from the hallway entrance. It was Kara.

"Whoa! Kara! What are you doing on your feet? You should be…" Alex immediately jumped up, her big sister mode in full gear.

"Stop. It's the only way to stave off disaster throughout the city. They are my people, I need to do this." Kara stood the best she could, leaning against the wall for some support. Her pain had subsided enough to at least get around. Albeit slowly.

"Kara, if they see you looking the least but weak, the criminals will have a field day." Cat stated, and Maggie nodded in agreement.

"Well then, I guess I can't look weak." Kara stood her ground. She knew she needed to finally get herself out there again. It had been long enough. Even if she wasn't up to fighting capacity, she could at least ease people's minds a little bit.

"People need hope right now. There have been 2 terrorist attacks, they need to know that the threat has been neutralized for the time being, and they are safe in the hands of NCPD's finest." She turned toward Maggie. "Do you have the manpower to keep the city under control if people see Supergirl is OK?"

Maggie nodded again, "They should be alright. NCPD didn't have any casualties in the attack, and the barricades have been cleared by the ground units. There are only construction crews on the street at the DEO bomb site at this point. If you can make a public statement, it should work in the short term. What do you think Ms. Grant?"

Cat thought about it for a few seconds, and looked up at Kara.

"I think it's time for a shit ton of makeup, and some famous Cat Grant studio lighting. But we can get her presentable." She smiled.

"Gee thanks." Kara griped. Her headache was still pounding. Her nerves fired overtime. The hallucinations, she could keep them at bay for short amounts of time before they stated to wig her out. "Alright Cat, let's get this together quick, before I start to lose my mind again." Kara quipped, but her eyes betrayed her humor as false.

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"You should let me make this statement in her form. What if she can't hold out?" J'onn insisted. He was worried about the plan of putting Kara out there again. He thought it was too soon.

"J'onn, we have to respect her decision, and trust her. She knows her body, and her limitations. She might deny them most of the time, but she knows how important this show of strength is to the people of the city." Alex sighed. "I'm worried, too. I HAVE to trust my sister."

"Alright, but if the citizens don't believe that she's ok, I'll have to go out there and make at least a couple of appearances." He insisted.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I have to go, they're ready. See ya." Alex disconnected the call to her superior and looked up at her sister. Kara sat at Cat Grant's desk and leaned against it for support, the makeup artists put on the final touches. She looked perfectly fine and healthy outwardly. Just under the surface, those closest to the alien could see the struggle behind her eyes.

"God, I hope this works." Alex said quietly to Maggie, who was by her side. Cat was in her office with Kara, and Lena and Felicity had stayed back on the penthouse floor. They still looked and felt like hell. Plus, it was risky for Felicity to be seen by so many people, consider she still had a doppelganger out there somewhere.

"We're ready." Cat's producer relayed to his boss.

"Supergirl, we're ready when you are." Cat gave the call to Kara.

Kara closed her eyes to steady herself. She wrote the speech along side Cat and Maggie. Maggie had consulted with her NCPD superiors in advance for advice on anything they'd need Supergirl to address. Kara raised her head and lifted herself into a properly seated position. She looked over at Cat and gave her the ok.

"Alright, remember, on me first, then I'll direct you to Supergirl." Cat ordered, as she stood behind her desk, out of camera view of Supergirl. She wanted to give her friend an introduction to prepare the city. They all needed this to be as inspirational as ever. She trusted Kara had the words to do so. After Myriad, Cat vowed she'd never doubt Kara's ability to give the people of National City the hope they needed to survive even the hardest of times.

"Ms. Grant on 5, 4…" The director put up 3 fingers, 2, 1, and pointed at Cat, they were live.

"Citizens of National City, we stand here together in this dark time. There have been terrorist attacks on our home soil. I, along with many of you all, have witnessed terrible, and difficult moments these past weeks. Most notably, the attack on Noonan's café, in the heart of our city. This just a few short blocks from my office here. The more recent, on one of our brightest high rises etched in our proud skyline. These bombings, as you may not yet know, were direct attacks on those closest to our city's beloved hero, Supergirl. Many of you, including myself, have feared for the safety of our hero, our friend, our neighbor. I am here today, standing in front of you, to assuage those fears. I am here to show you that, not only is our favorite woman in red and blue alive and well, but she is with me, here, at Catco Media. To meet you all face to face for the first time since that fateful attack called Myriad. The attack in which she instilled her hope and faith in us, and brought us from the brink of an extinction level event. With no further introduction, I turn the spotlight over to our hero. My hero. Supergirl…" Cat nodded towards Kara. Kara nodded back. The red light on the camera in front of her turned on, signaling she was live, and about to face one of her hardest moments.

Kara cleared her throat, and took a second to rally herself. She glanced at Cat, who had turned into a menacing White Martian in her brain. She ignored it and focused on the camera.

"My fellow citizens of National City, I know these passed days have been devastating for all of us. I also know that my absence had to have been terrifying for some, and emboldening for some of those who mean us harm. But I am here in front of you now. We have all suffered, and some of us, including myself, have been injured or have had family and friends injured in the two horrific attacks on our freedom. I also know that we are strong. Together over the passed years, we have had to overcome obstacles that none of us could have imagined. Aliens and humans alike. When I lost my home, and everyone I held dear, I felt hopeless and alone. Then I came here, to Earth. It was humans that took me in. That treated me with love and kindness. It was all of you, that made me who I am today. I don't help the people of Earth and of my city out of duty. I stand beside you hand in hand as family and friend. All of you know by now, that I live among you. I have a home here, a job, and a life. Recently, that home, and our lives have been threatened. We have been hurt, and some of us have been killed by the perpetrators of these attacks.

That being said, many of those who were behind these attacks were victims themselves. Victims of a very small few who's goal it was to destroy me. A plot that has affected me greatly, and that has affected you all. For that, I am so sorry. For anyone that has been injured or killed, I am so very sorry. The attacks were meant for me, because I am here, and because I exist. I have been absent since the first bombing. I divulge now, that I have been absent because I was, in fact, injured in the attacks…"

Alex and Cat looked at each other with shock and fear in their eyes. "What is she doing?" Cat mouthed to Alex. Alex just shook her head in disbelief.

"I am forever grateful for those who have protected me and cared for me during this painful and difficult time. This includes our own Cat Grant, who stands here with me. She has done so many things to protect my life, and my secrets. Including lying to you all. For that I can never repay her. Please, do not let that fact destroy the trust that you all have in her and myself. She did what needed to be done at the time in order to ensure not only my safety, but the safety of the people of National City. Until we knew what we were dealing with, and I could get back on my feet, Ms. Grant did everything in her power to protect you. She did what I could not do at the time, and she is my hero."

Kara risked another glance toward Cat, who Kara saw was thankfully back to herself. She smiled out of relief, and at the truth behind her words.

"I am also here to inform you that the current threat to us all, has been neutralized. For now. I can't promise that this nightmare is over completely. I can promise you that I will stop at nothing to prevent anything from happening to you, my friends and my neighbors. We are strong. The people of this city… are strong. I know who is behind this. The accomplice that man has used is dead, and the mastermind is behind bars.

As our investigation continues, we will weed out anyone else that he has used as a pawn in his disgusting, and deadly game. Can I assure you 100% that the destruction in his wake is over? I can't, I will not lie to you again. What I can do, is never stop fighting for you…with you. As long as I am alive, I will be fighting. As long as I am alive, those who mean to do humans or peaceful aliens harm will be met with me. I didn't survive the destruction of my planet in order to let another planet suffer at the hands of men with delusions of grandeur, and aliens with vendettas. I have friends and family that were harmed, some of them killed, in order to fulfill meaningless attacks on our freedom. But I have hope. As long as we stand together, I will never give up that hope. Good will triumph over those who wish to do us harm.

I, an alien, a Kryptonian, stand with the humans of Earth. I stand with every other extra-terrestrial living peacefully among us. If there is an attack on one of you, I will consider it an attack on myself. I will stop at nothing to protect you. I can't promise that I'll be back at my full strength today, nor can I promise tomorrow. But I am here, and I am not going anywhere. I, along with my friends at the NCPD, my friends who have powers, and my friends without powers will all be working as one. We will fight, so you don't have to. That is the promise I make here today. The symbol here on my chest is my Kryptonian family crest. It means 'Stronger Together'. I live by that motto. You are all my family now. Thank you."

Kara nodded to the director, and he cut the live feed. Cat Grant immediately started giving orders, as only she can do.

"I want you to play that on every station, every news network now, at the evening news, and the nightly news, and tomorrow's morning news. Go! Out of my office!" Cat asserted. The crew didn't even bother to pack up, they hurried out on Cat's words. Kara put her head in her hands and stopped fighting the tears that had been threatening to burst out for her entire speech. Alex hurried over to her sister and gathered her in her arms.

"I'm so proud of you. You're amazing…if not a little crazy." Alex huffed out a laugh. "I can't believe you told them all of that."

"I couldn't lie to them anymore. They are dying and getting hurt out there, how can I expect them to trust me if I continue the lies?" Kara softly cried into her sister's shoulder.

"Well, I think you were brilliant." Cat chimed in. "Even more brilliant than during Myriad. If there are people that don't trust you, then they don't have a soul."

Kara nodded as she shot a smile the best she could at Cat. When Cat turned into a White Martian again, Kara shoved slightly away from her sister's embrace. She had held the fear in for the entire speech, but she had let her guard down. Kara shut her eyes tight and buried them in her hands.

"Get me out of here, I need to go upstairs. I'm still seeing things. Alex, when is this going to stop!?" Kara cried.

"I don't know Kara, but we'll figure it out together ok?" Alex comforted. She held Kara again until her sister could compose herself. She didn't need to be having a breakdown in the middle of Cat Grant's office.

"Everybody back to work, or you're fired!" Cat yelled to her bullpen.


	28. Chapter 28

**_Hello all, no I'm not gone. I got a job back over the summer, and it's overnight. I've been sleeping mostly. BUT! Luckily for you, not so luckily for me or America, there is an e-coli situation with certain lettuce. I work in salad production. Sooooooo I'm off. Upside, I'm writing! We'll see how it goes. I'm a little rusty, but I did reread all of 'Exposure' in prep. Wish me luck! Enjoy! *deep breath* ~ JAG_**

28

"You alright walking? You need help?" Alex doted beside Kara as they came through the elevator doors at Cat's sky high penthouse.

Kara just trudged sluggishly into the apartment with her hand shielding her eyes. The last thing she needed was see anything crazy before she got out of view of the entire Catco Media bullpen.

"I just…I just need to get out of this suit and into something comfy. Everything hurts and I want a couch and a pillow." Kara mumbled out.

"We can make that happen. I still want to get you back hooked up to monitor your vitals. That toxin is still in effect and I don't like how you look." Alex hovered as she ushered Kara into a bedroom.

"Gee thanks, I could say the same for you. You look like you just got blown up." Kara teased quietly.

"Well, as much as I appreciate your re-found sarcasm, I want to get you healthy again. No arguments please." Alex quipped back. Lena was already in the bedroom, and got up to help with getting Kara comfortable.

"Thank you, Lena, but you look like hell too. What will help me feel better right now, is to know that my friends are taking care of themselves before they take care of me." Kara insisted.

Lena glanced at her best friend. "OK, that's great, and we appreciate it, but we're ok. All of us are safe. Just how about we take care of each other right now. The immediately threat seems to be gone. Let's get you resting so that we can ALL relax for a minute. How's that sound?" Lena asserted.

Kara just closed her eyes, pinched her pounding head between her eyes and nodded. Alex and Lena glanced at each other as they helped the hero get changed.

Kara insisted on staying out on the couch instead of in the bedroom. Alex decided to pick her battles. Her sister didn't always know what was best for her, but Alex also knew that it would make it worse to try and force Kara into something in that moment. By the time they got Kara back out into the living area on the couch, Cat and Maggie had ushered out most of the security staff and the few DEO agents that had assembled.

"I feel like I finally have my personal space back. Not that I minded of course, anything to make Supergirl safe. But it's finally quiet." Cat sighed and dropped unceremoniously onto her favorite chair with a scotch.

"Should you be drinking? Don't you have pain meds?" Alex suggested.

Cat just gave her one of her famous glares. "Ibuprofen only, you touch my scotch, I get surprisingly scrappy Agent Scully."

Alex held up her one good arm in surrender and shrugged.

"In that case, Maggie…you in?" Alex relented as she went over to pour herself and her girlfriend one.

"All of the yes." Maggie went over to help. "Go sit down, I got it."

Alex went over to Cat's large couch, where Kara was already laying.

"Hey, I gotta get some sensors on you for your vitals." Alex crouched down the best she could to talk to her sister. Not surprisingly, Kara was already asleep. Alex just sighed, trying to decide whether she wanted to disturb her sister at that moment.

Maggie came up behind Alex and bent to whisper. "Why don't you just leave it be for now. She'll be ok. She's with us. Rest is probably what's best for her right now."

Alex nodded, and let Maggie help her back up. As Maggie sat with Alex on the loveseat, Lena quietly stepped out from the bedroom and poured herself her own drink.

"If nobody's gonna use that bed, I call dibs." Lena offered.

"Go to town, I'm not moving. Ever again." Cat waved from her chair.

With a casual raise of a glass, Lena headed back to the room. The rest of the women just put on a quiet movie and closed their eyes.

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG

Kara awoke to some hushed voices. They sounded strained. She kept her eyes closed, but tried to amp up her superhearing the best she could. It seemed her powers were still unpredictable. She felt weak, and she hated feeling weak. She eventually stopped trying to hear what they were saying, and instead focused on who it was. It didn't take long to discern Alex and J'onn's voices. Maggie was in it too. It was an argument, that she knew. She could pick out Alex's angry voice at any volume.

Kara moved her fingers around to assess her nerves, her body. The nerve pain hadn't gone away. Her headache hadn't gone away. 'Great' she thought to herself. At least it subsided to the point where she could think again. She was sure the rest had undoubtedly helped. She was thanking Rao for that comfy couch. The alien went to open her eyes, wary of possible hallucinations. There was nothing. Just a television, seemingly on mute, and Cat in her chair with her head also turned pointedly toward the voices.

 _"She's not ready. I haven't even had the chance to check her vitals. She's quiet, and resting, and fragile J'onn. Absolutely not."_ She heard Alex.

 _"I don't disagree, but if I know our girl, I think she'd want to know. Let her make her own choice."_ J'onn argued. He did know her well. Alex could be overprotective. She knew it was always in her best interest, but she was a big girl.

 _"HE's the reason she's here. Like THIS, J'onn! What if he scares her? She's still hallucinating. What if…what if he hurts her by mistake? Or on PURPOSE?!"_ Alex was worried. She keeps saying "he". Kara's thoughts were still muddled from the sleep and the toxin.

 _"He? He… She's talking about Lucas. Wait…What was his name? Peter…? Pete? Yeah…Pete. He had the toxin in his house…it was him. But he was a victim, he saved her, he didn't want to. But…UGH why was her brain so mushy? Because of the exposure to that shit that HE had. No, it wasn't him, it was someone else. She felt him. She felt his heart, he was a good person. At least…she thought he was."_ Kara's mind was racing, but the only thing it kept falling on was that she needed to see him. She needed to look at him knowing the truth. Look into his eyes. Talk to him.

Kara flexed her hands, and steadied herself. She pushed herself up onto her forearms to see over the arm of the couch. There he was, right there at the door. She didn't expect him to ACTUALLY be there. Just J'onn and Alex fighting about the possibility or something. But no, there he was. Standing right behind J'onn at the door. She understood now why Alex was freaking out. No way Alex would let him just walk in while she was asleep with no prep. Not with the way she had been feeling and acting. Kara decided she was going to have to get it together, she wasn't getting much better. She might be like this forever, or at least for a very long time, might as well learn to live with it.

"J'onn. Let him in." Kara said as steadily as she could make her voice sound.

"Kara there's NO way…." Alex started.

"Let him in, Alex!"

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG

 ** _I know it wasn't much guys, not much action, nothing much happened, but it was a start. This may be close to the end of this one, and if I have some inspiration then start a sequel. We'll see. What do you guys think?_**

 ** _Love you all, thank you so much for your endless support and kind, encouraging words._**

 ** _JAG_**


	29. Chapter 29

**_Hey everybody! As promised, I haven't given up on you or this story. And as usual, my misfortune usually turns out to your benefit. I've had a massive sinus situation that put me out of work for a couple days. BUT, it gives me a few hours to write for all of us. I'll do my best, as always. Enjoy! – JAG_**

Alex apprehensively moved to the side to let Peter in. She would always protect her sister, but at the end of the day, Kara was an adult who could make her own decisions. If she believed Peter was a real threat, Alex would not have let him inside. But she trusts J'onn with her life, and with her sister's. If he read this guy's mind and came up on the positive end, then she had to accept that.

Peter stepped through the door past Alex with his head down. He nodded, but didn't look up at her. He wouldn't be able to stand the shame he felt if he had seen the disappointment and anger in the agent's eyes. As he glanced forward, he moved slowly toward the glint of blonde hair he caught over the arm of the couch. He took as steadying deep breath and he rounded to the front of the couch to see a tired and weak looking Kara. She was so far away from the invincible hero he so admired, but still the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

Kara opened her eyes as she heard him stop in front of her. She forced herself up to a seated position using her arms. She had pins and needles everywhere, and opened and closed her fists a few times as a reflex. Kara looked up at Peter for the first time since she'd see him as a blur on the floor of his own apartment. He was knelt down to one knee about a foot away from her with his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. It was as if he was deeply studying something unseen on the carpet. She stared for a moment, she didn't know how long, but eventually she snapped out of it. She knew she'd have to engage first. She could see he'd panicked and spaced as to what he whatever he had prepared to say. She heard his rapid heartbeat and breathing.

"Look at me. I need to look at your eyes." She started. Peter jolted from the sound of her voice. He was terrified, but he complied. As he looked up, he saw the strength he remembered. The heat of her gaze bore into him, as if she was using her heat vision. He didn't know what to say. He had blanked completely. All he had been thinking over the last day or so was what he'd say to her if he was ever allowed to lay eyes on her again. Now it was all gone. Every apology, and penance.

"Hey…um…. Hi Kara." Was all he could squeak out. Kara nodded toward him as her own silent greeting. She had been staring into his eyes, feeling him out. Trying to read his mind. To feel out his intentions.

"Can you guys leave give us a minute please?" She asked the others in the room, without turned away from him. Peter glanced at them, and then back to Kara.

"Kar…I don't th…" Alex started, but J'onn put his hand on his agent's shoulder to pacify her concerns.

"It's ok Alex, you have to trust me." J'onn insisted.

Alex huffed in frustration and anxiety. Everyone else had already cleared out. She finally relented.

"We'll be right outside. Just call out." Alex said in a soft, but warning tone.

As Kara heard the door click closed, she suddenly did something even she wasn't expecting. She smacked Peter right at his jaw line. Not too hard. Not with superstrength. She hadn't been thinking about doing it or anything. It just…happened. His face turned with the slap and stayed in place. Turned a half-turn to the right. It wasn't that he was shocked, but he wasn't entirely expecting it either. Kara had also shocked herself. She had never hit a human out of anger. At least not someone who wasn't about to inflict harm on another person. Her hands flew to her mouth in surprise.

"I…I'm…I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry." Kara said through her hands. Peter just shook his head and looked at the ground again.

"I deserved it. I deserve anything you could ever do to me. Kara, I'm so sorry. Wha..what I did…it's…" he took a shaky breath. "It's inexcusable." He finally looked back up at her eyes. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. Tears of her own shame for striking out at who she knew was a victim. A HUMAN victim. She knew in her heart that if someone had threatened Alex, or anyone that she loved for that matter, she'd do anything to save them. She has had those thoughts in the past. When Alex was kidnapped, or when Lena was in it deep with Edge. She had serious thoughts about killing the bastards who did horrible things to the people that she loved. Luckily it never came to that, but she can't be sure she wouldn't have done it. Her vow not to kill be damned.

"Peter, you were a victim. You were acting under duress. Yes, you did…horrible things to me…but you also saved my life. More than once. And for that I'm grateful." Kara choked out. It was hard for her to say, even though she knew it was true in her heart. She was still hurting, and still afraid of things that weren't there. Things that only she saw. And though it wasn't Peter's fault, he HAD done it to her. Albeit unintentionally.

"Don't…pretend. You're angry, and you have every right to be. I'm…I'm a coward." Peter admitted.

"I am angry. And I'm hurt, and betrayed. I feel all of those things. But I'm not angry at YOU. That slap notwithstanding. I think my body just needed to strike out at something real. Something I could see and touch. You were at the wrong place at the wrong time I guess." Kara admitted. "But I see you. I believe that you are a good person. My friend believes you're a good person. And that's good enough for me." Kara paused to really consider her next words. "I forgive you."

And with that, the two tears that had been waiting in her watery eyes finally fell down her cheeks. Peter let out one choked sob, and subconsciously reached to hold onto Kara's hand for support to ground himself. The nerve endings in her hand lit up like something hand burned her skin. She flinched, but didn't pull away. She'd have to accept that the pain may never go away, she could only hope that it would subside some in time. Peter felt the flinch, and almost fell backwards pulling away. He was horrified at the fact that he'd possibly hurt the woman in front of him that he cared so deeply about in such a short amount of time.

"Hey, hey, it's alright. It…it's kind of my new reality now. So, I'm…gonna to have to get used to it sometime." Kara reached out to grab his hand back. She now needed grounded as well. The whole conversation had gotten very emotional, VERY quickly. Even Kara surprised herself with some of the things she said and felt. Peter hadn't said much, but to her, he didn't have to. She could see right through him now. The man wore his heart on his sleeve. She wondered how she'd missed the fear and anxiety before, when they'd first met. In hindsight, all the signs were right there. She supposed she had never expected the man who saved her life had also been somewhat responsible for the attack to begin with. Kara shook her head slightly at the thought, not responsible. A pawn. He was being used just as all the other innocent people and aliens had been. The real assholes were Lex Luthor and that other guy, who's name she never quite caught. But he was dead now either way, and she was grateful that Peter had made it out of the DEO unscathed. A thought suddenly popped into her head.

"Hey! How's your brother?! Alex said that they had moved him. Is he ok?" Kara stumbled, remembering how much Peter had been through.

"Yeah, the uh…they moved him to a different secure facility. He was put in a protected unit, in a different state. Hopefully Lex Luthor's network can't get to him. But we just have to pray that he'll…" Peter trailed off.

"He'll be ok. The DEO will do everything in their power to protect him from that monster." Kara assured. "Speaking of, I better call Alex back in before her head explodes outside with worry." Kara smiled. "You guys can come back in, we're all good in here."

Peter smiled just slightly. His first smile since that fateful day at his apartment. But when he looked up at Kara's face, the smile fell clean off into horror.

As Alex and J'onn walked in, Kara looked up to greet them with a smile. But she saw none other that Lex Luthor himself, walking side by side with his mother, Lillian. She whipped her eyes back to Peter, and saw his eyes turn to fear at her expression. As fast as her superspeed could move them, she pulled Peter behind her back protectively.

"STAY BACK! I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU COME ANY CLOSER!" Kara yelled threateningly toward the man and woman who were responsible for some much of her family's pain and suffering. Not to mention all the innocent people they threatened into doing horrible acts. Her eyes glowed with her heat vision, ready to strike at the first threat.

"Whoa Kara, what's going on!?" Peter yelled. Kara just put her hand behind her over his arm to keep him behind her.

"This is them! The ones responsible for putting your brother in danger! STAY BACK!" Kara warned.

Peter looked past Kara at a very confused, and horrified Alex and J'onn. He saw no threat. He'd heard that Kara had suffered hallucinations due to the exposure of the powder, but seeing it close up was heartbreaking.

"Kara! Kara it's me, it's Alex and J'onn! You're ok! Listen to my voice, it's not real! Whatever you're seeing, WHOever you're seeing. It's not real. It's us, it's your family! You're safe."

Kara was confused. She had let her guard down. She had lost her grip. She could clearly see Lex and Lillian Luthor in front of her, just standing inside the door, smiling smugly. But she heard her sister. Her sister was telling her she was OK. Logically, Kara knew that she had been having hallucinations, but this seemed so real. 'Just like the others seemed real', she thought to herself. Just when she was about to turn off her heat vision, she saw Kal fly in from Cat's balcony. Except he wasn't the Kal she remembered. His face was swollen, and an unnatural gray. His suit was torn, and was riddled in bloodstains. His eyes were glazed over white, with blood dripping down his face. Her heat vision fired up again, ready to strike.

"KARA! LISTEN! IT'S IN YOUR HEAD! IT'S THE VIRUS! YOU'RE SAFE! PLEASE KARA!" Alex said firmly, she didn't want to shout and startle her sister more, but she needed Kara to hear her. She needed to break through.

Peter suddenly stepped into Kara's line of sight, between her, and Alex and J'onn.

"Peter! Get behind me!" Kara went to pull his body around again, but he avoided her grasp.

"Hey! Look at my eyes! You were just looking at them 2 minutes ago! Remember? You said you saw me. Do you see me now!? Do you trust me? Do you trust your sister, and your friends!?" Peter pleaded.

Kara held on to him protectively, still on guard, but she nodded yes. She did trust him.

"OK, trust me when I say to listen to your sister. Listen to her voice. She's right, there is no threat. Nobody is here but us. Me, you, your sister, Director Henshaw, and apparently…Superman." Peter chanced a quick glance toward Metropolis's caped crusader, but immediately went back to holding Kara's gaze. She was crying now. Tears were streaming down her face. The skin around her eyes was still glowing hot, like she was fighting every cell in her body to not be blasting her fears to dust.

Alex slowly risked taking a couple of steps forward, with her hands raised nonthreateningly

"That's good Kara, just calm down. Listen to me, you KNOW me. Listen to my heartbeat. You said once that they are all unique, like each human's own personal 'heart snowflake'. Do you remember? I laughed so hard at how cheesy you were being. But then we started using that term every time someone we know would be walking up that you knew. Before they even knocked on the door, or whatever, you'd lean over into my ear, and tell me who was there. And I'd whisper back 'heart snowflake.' It was like a sister secret code. Who else would know that but me? Please, Kara. Come back to us." Alex pleaded. She stepped forward little by little, getting closer to her sister. She could tell from Kara's face that she had listened to her. Kara was listening to her heartbeat.

Kara was so scared, and her mind was jumbled. She tried to just focus on Alex's voice, although it was coming out of Lillian Luthor's mouth. She heard Alex tell her cheesy, embarrassing story from when she was a kid. She would normally have gotten pissed at Alex for revealing such an intimate detail of their relationship. They never told ANYONE else about stupid 'heart snowflake'. It was theirs, just like a lot of things were just _theirs_. Her's and Alex's. She listened like the voice said. She listened to all the heartbeats in the room. She knew Kal's unique Kryptonian heartbeat. It was like hers, different than a human's. She heard the intense pounding in Peter's chest right in front of her, it was slower than normal for someone in distress. A sign of his physical fitness. The she heard J'onn's, his Martian heartbeat very unique comparatively. Finally, Alex. The quick flutter of a smaller human, clean beating from her constant training. But the micro-fraction of a natural arrythmia she's had since they were kids. She assumed her sister was born with it. It wasn't pronounced enough to pick up on any of Earth's human made heart-monitoring medical devices, but she could always tell. She could always hear her sister's heart, and it always soothed her. Since she had her first nightmares on Earth, in the Danvers' home. She'd wake up, and the first thing she'd hear was Alex's slow, sleeping heartbeat. Always calm and steady. Kara remembered using the unique beat to focus on the present, and to be able to coax herself back to sleep on her new planet.

Kara closed her eyes, and blocked everything else out. Anything she saw, anything she heard, and focus only on her sister's 'heart snowflake'. She took deep breaths in and out, mimicking those of Peter in front of her. He was scared, she was scaring him. She was scaring all of them. She was scaring herself. She had to get out of there. Had to be alone. Tears fell from her face, which was flushed with shame. She opened her eyes, and saw everyone in the room. She saw Alex, and J'onn, Peter in front of her, holding onto her arms, and she turned around to see Kal. Kal who looked just as normal and healthy as ever.

She was so embarrassed, and ashamed. She couldn't stop what was happening to her, and she'd almost hurt the people she loved the most. Kara shook from Peter's grasp, and covered her eyes with her fists. She screamed in anger and frustration, at herself, and at her situation.

Alex went to move forward again, but J'onn tugged her arm to coax her into holding her position. He could tell Kara needed some time.

"Peter, why don't we go get you settled back into your apartment. We'll come back in a little bit when we're done." J'onn commanded. "Alex, I need you to come with us to discuss some of the ground rules of Peter's release."

Alex whipped around, "J'onn are you kiddin-", she was cut off by Superman himself.

"I'll stay here Alex. I need to catch up with my little cousin for a bit. Can you give us a couple hours? I'd owe you one….Well….one more." Clark pleaded. He figured it would make Kara more comfortable to be around someone that she couldn't hurt by accident if she got scared or confused.

Alex was NOT happy about the situation, but saw the logic in it. It didn't mean that her emotional bond with her sister wasn't screaming for her to stay, and hold her favorite person in her arms until her fear and sadness went away. But for now, she was persuaded that the right thing would be to give Kara some space. She nodded, and turned briskly toward the door. She whispered an 'I love you' to her sister, that she knew Kara could hear, and walked out as quick as she could. She had to get out before she changed her mind. J'onn held Peter by the shoulder, and turned him to head out the door as well.

When the door closed, all that was left was Kara and Clark. Kara, who was still standing tensely in the middle of the room, her eyes still covered as tears trickled down her face. Clark came up behind her, and asked if he could touch her. She nodded slightly, and he pulled her into a gentle hug. She accepted it, and wrapped her arms around him, holding on as tight as she could. She was relieved to not have to worry about hurting a human, and just be able to hang on for dear life.

"I'm broken Kal. And I'm not getting better. Please, tell me I'll get better. I can't live like this." Kara cried into his shoulder.

"You will. You WILL get better. I found something that can help. I found a cure Kara." Clark stated, as Kara looked up at him in shock.

"What?" was all she could choke out through her tears.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"I found a cure." Clark said, making Kara's heart skip a beat.

She pulled away from the tight embrace of her cousin to search his eyes for any signs of jest or doubt. Why would he lie to her? She shook her head and backed away. This had to be another hallucination. Her mind, or the pathogen, was lying to her. Making her hear and see what she so desperately wanted to hear, just to rip it away from her.

"No…no no no no…don't do this!" Kara closed her eyes and grabbed her hair. She didn't believe it, she couldn't believe it. She was emphatically shaking her head, and screaming "No!" over and over.

"Kara, hey! Kara, this is real! It's not some trick. This isn't in your mind! Listen to me, I promise! On our parents, on our planet, on my life! I promise, you aren't hallucinating!" Clark urged. He hadn't seen her condition in full force. It was jarring to him how much he'd missed since this whole ordeal started.

Since James had explained to him what had happened, he was studying his Kryptonian archives in the Fortress of Solitude. He had gotten nowhere for the better part of a week. He didn't even know where to look, or how to ask. When he asked about the symptoms, or about a Daxamite pathogen he got nowhere. When he asked about a virus, all that kept coming up was Argo Fever. After days of racking his brain, and raking over the archives, he realized something. His last-ditch effort. To speak Kryptonian. He didn't know it fluently. He barely knew any of it really. What he did know was limited, and his pronunciation was horrific.

It was then that he texted Alex, and asked her exactly how it was that Kara had described the pathogen…parasite…poison…whatever they were calling it. He needed to speak Kryptonian, that was his only chance of getting any real information on what was happening with his cousin. Alex texted him back everything Kara had said, in English, and in Kryptonian. He kept asking and asking Kal-Ex and his father's hologram. He got nowhere. All he kept getting back was "unable to process request", and "language not known." As he got more and more frustrated, he decided to start at the beginning. He asked Kal-Ex to teach him Kryptonian. He needed basics, he needed to know how to pronounce syllables, and sounds that were foreign to a native English speaker. He sat with Kal-Ex for days just learning how to speak and say words that he'd never heard in his life.

He wondered why he'd waited so long to learn the language of his home. He guessed he had taken for granted that he didn't have to interact with other Kryptonians in his day to day life. Kara spoke English, so there was no reason for him to learn how to speak to her in Kryptonian. Over those days, he kicked himself for being so selfish for the better part of the last decade and more. He was his cousin's only family, the only other one of her kind left in the universe, and he didn't even bother to learn how to speak to her in her native tongue. Alex had tried, Alex had learned a lot over the years. Why hadn't he tried? The shame he felt in those moments was overwhelming at times, but he couldn't stop, he'd needed to keep going. He'd failed Kara in the past, but he had to come through for her. She needed him. She was only on this planet because of him, and when she'd gotten there, he was all but human. She had no purpose, he had to face it that he didn't want her to interfere with his life all those years ago. He was comfortable in his new human planet, and didn't want that daily reminder of his true heritage. It hurt too much to know he'd never be able to see his home planet, or to know what they knew. But Kara, she didn't have a choice. She HAD seen their planet. She'd lived it. She was of two worlds, and had to learn how to be 'human'. It was time he learned what it was to be Kryptonian.

He hadn't involved Kara, because he wasn't sure anything would come of it, and he didn't want to get her hopes up. If he was being honest with himself, he didn't want her to see him struggle with the language and culture studies. He was embarrassed at how little he'd previously known. He didn't want her to see how much he truly hadn't tried to understand her.

After a few days of lessons with Kal-Ex, he was finally able to properly pronounce the name given to the illness that Alex had given to him. The second he said the words "Laetano seelan...kala hana tupulo, tupulaho", the flood gates opened. As it turned out, Kara's father, Zor-El, had been researching the poison at length. He never mentioned it to Kara's mother, as it didn't seem relevant. The pathogen was thought to be contained, and the Daxamite treaty had been reached decades prior. Luckily for Kara, Zor-El was never one to put blind faith in the Daxamites. He always felt that they may renege on their deal at their first whim, and he was right. His research was extensive, and in his final works (which he'd never had the chance to publish), he'd reached 100% success at eradicating all traces of the pathogen from Kryptonian cells. The second he read about the cure, Clark's entire body felt lighter than when he was flying. It was so simple, and could be found on Earth, which was the key. The only drawback, is that they'd have to use and manipulate Kryptonite and also have access to the original pathogen powder. As much as he felt uncomfortable with the idea, he knew that Lena Luthor had the intellectual capacity to engineer the cure easily. Especially, with Alex's medical understanding of Kara's anatomy handy. He was confident they could whip something up in days, if not hours. The second he compiled all of the information, he flew supersonic speed to National City to get them started. Of course, he didn't expect to fly into the scene he did. He didn't expect a lot of things over the past week, and he was taken aback to see the toll it had taken on his cousin in front of his eyes.

He was brought back into the moment when he heard Kara start talking to herself in Kryptonian. For the first time in their time on Earth together, he understood what she was mumbling. He could never speak it as beautifully as she could even just to be mumbling it through her distressed tears.

Clark got onto the floor with Kara where she'd dropped under the weight of her fear and emotions.

"Kara, zhula'ath taminthur. Lemmonathtai. I've got you. I'm here. Please trust me."

Kara stopped mumbling, her hands still in her hair, she opened her eyes and slowly looked up at Clark. The telling crinkle in her forehead was pronounced in her confusion.

"No, Kal doesn't speak Kryptonian…it can't…this can't be real."

"Kara, I learned. Mil mulaanchan…I learned. Look at me, we have the same blood. We are the last of the great House of El, and we are stronger together my cousin. El Mayarah." He spoke to her in the best Kryptonian accent he could muster.

"It's almost perfect. Better than Alex. She can't make sounds we can. Are you real? Is this real?" Kara asked. It broke his heart, staring at this shell of his strong, resilient cousin.

"It's real. We're going to make you better. We're going to stop the pain, and fear. I'm sure it will work. I'd stake my life on it. It's your father's work, and he was the best scientist on Krypton…or at least that's what you and my father's hologram have both told me. Do you trust your father to help you, even now?" Clark was getting through to her, he could see her expression shift from fear and confusion, to one of curiosity, and even a little relief. He was so filled with pride that she was breaking through all of the pain she must have been in, and was starting to trust him….to have hope.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Alex took her eyes away from the microscope she'd been staring through for the last 3 hours. Her eyes were getting blurry from overuse, but she couldn't stop herself from trying to reverse engineer her sister's cure. Lena looked up from her station hunched over her digitally engineered images of the scientists' latest petri dish sample. They were making slow progress in nailing down the procedure for reproducing the final compound structure that Clark had given them for Kara's cure. They were so close. After working tirelessly for 6 days, they just had one more element to identify to complete the puzzle.

"My eyes for revolting against me." Alex mumbled.

"Why don't you take a break? Go for a walk, check on your sister?" Lena suggested.

Alex huffed. She knew Lena was right. She wouldn't get anywhere if she could see straight. Her brain felt like mush. It would probably help to see Kara, and remind her of what they were working so hard to achieve.

"I could definitely use the kick in the ass from seeing what that monster did to my sister again." Alex said without thinking about her company. Lena looked away from Alex, and back to her computer monitor.

"I didn't mean…I mean I don't think that you…" Alex stumbled, but she was interrupted.

"No, no, you used the right adjective. My brother is a monster. Anyone that would purposely hurt anyone in that way…what he did…it's unforgivable. Inhuman really…he deserves anything he gets." Lena stated monotone, without even looking away from her screen. "Go, see Kara, I'll keep working here."

Alex felt terrible for the other woman. She didn't deserve to be associated with such a sick bastard. Alex just sighed and turned towards the door, dejected.

"Alex…" Lena started. Alex turned around and saw those piercing green eyes burning back into hers. "We're gonna figure this out. Kara's gonna be ok."

Alex just smiled back at her friend. "I know, but thanks anyway. And thanks for everything you've done for her, and you're still doing. You're a good friend." She answered sincerely. With that, Alex turned and left the lab.

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSSGGSG

Kara sat on the balcony of her apartment. After the threat was neutralized, there was no reason for her to be holed up at Cat's penthouse any longer. It felt good to be home, and to have some space to herself. She had convinced Alex and J'onn that she'd be fine on her own every now and then. It helped her gather her thoughts, and focus on deciphering the real from the hallucinations. They were fewer and further between, but still jarring and sometimes terrifying. She had taken to wearing the noise-cancelling headphones Alex had bought her for her 20th birthday most of the time. That way, she could at least tell that when she heard something, it was definitely a hallucination.

She could see the beat-up truck parked at the far corner of her street. She recognized it as Peter's truck. He'd taken to hanging out there at least a couple hours a day. It didn't creep her out, or scare her. Which she was surprised about. It was almost comforting, knowing someone was there, even at a distance. She didn't want anyone closer than that most of the time. Sometimes, she'd use her x-ray vision to spy on him sometimes. She wasn't proud of it, but she did it anyway. He was usually just sitting, staring at his hands, or eating a sandwich. Every so often, he'd look up towards her building. He wasn't sure which apartment was her's just by looking at the building. She could tell by the way he'd scan the building as opposed to look directly at her apartment. At one point, she'd considered going down there and inviting him up for a drink, but ultimately decided against it.

Kara still felt too unstable, and uncomfortable with the incident in the penthouse. She could have killed someone. She hesitates to put anyone in that position again. She knows she has to interact with her loved ones, but tries to limit her time alone with others to a couple hours at a time. Kal had stayed in town to help her feel like she had more of a buffer zone, just in case she lost it again. She hadn't, but Kara still had a hard time trusting herself without Kal in the room.

Kara noticed Alex's car round the corner, and park on the street near her building. She took a deep breath, and braced for human contact. As she took off her headphones, and smoothed out her old, worn tee-shirt. She didn't need Alex noticing that she hadn't showered or changed that day, it would just make her hover. Showering wasn't the most fun activity. With her nerves still on fire most of the time, the heat and constant water felt like she was getting battered with needles. She hated baths though, she found them gross. Like sitting in your own filth. Ever since she was a kid on Krypton, she never liked the idea.

Kara was broken from her random wandering thoughts by Alex knocking on the door. Alex had a key, but with Kara being so fragile, she'd refused to use it until Kara felt herself again. Kara slowly made her way to the door, and let in her sister. She knew immediately that her scientist sister had been overdoing it. She noticed the bags under Alex's eyes immediately, and Alex was hunched over just slightly enough for Kara to pick up on the variation. Kara just sighed and grabbed Alex's hand to pull her inside.

"Couch. Now." Kara said simply. She guided her sister to her couch, and plopped her down.

"I'm fine Kar, I just needed to step away for a couple hours. I wanted to hang out with my sister and decompress." Alex admitted.

Kara was already at her freezer grabbing ice cream for Alex. It was her last pint, but she was feeling especially generous that day. Kara shoved the pint and a spoon into Alex's hand, and sat down next to her on the couch.

"Eat, and relax. You are working too hard. I'll still be here whether you figure this thing out, or not. And whether you figure it out today, or a month from now, or a year from now. Killing yourself working non-stop won't help either of us. So please, for me, take a break. Maybe it'll help getting your scientist juices flowing again if you take a step back." Kara offered.

"Well, now you sound like Lena." Alex chuckled.

"Well, she's the SECOND smartest person I know, so maybe she's onto something." Kara joked.

"Ha. Ha. Very cute." Alex said sarcastically and punched her sister's arm. She noticed Kara wince, and immediately felt horrible. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry…I…"

"It's fine, please. I'm kind of starting to get used to it…" Kara lied. Alex could tell, of course, she saw through Kara like nobody else could. She chose not to call her sister out on it. This time.

The sisters relaxed for a little bit, talking about anything BUT pain or hallucinations or cures. They each wanted to takes the other's mind off of their troubles for a little while. When Alex fell asleep on Kara's lap during a purposefully boring story on Kara's part, Kara just sat in silence and watched. She missed the peace, she missed just being with the people she loved without being afraid, or worried about them getting hurt or dying.

When Alex's phone went off, she jumped a little. Alex sat straight up, still half asleep.

"Danvers…" Alex said groggily.

"Alex, I found it! It was so simple! The whole time! The last element! It was so easy!" Lena rambled.

"LENA! Calm down! One thought at a time! What did you find?" Alex was immediately WIDE awake.

"It's just, the thing is…the element…it's uranium. It's radioactive. It's dangerous Alex. This compound, it's dangerous…" Lena repeated.

Alex took a deep breath…again. "Alright, well, let's find a way to do this. We are going to make it happen." She looked


End file.
